The impact of the EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002-2012

This seminar, jointly organised by the EU Police Mission (EUPM) and the EUISS and held in Sarajevo, marked 10 years of EU civilian crisis management in the Western Balkans and sought to examine the impact of the EUPM in Bosnia and Herzegovina and assess the lessons learned for the future of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). A few weeks before the end of its remit on 30 June, it was time to assess the EUPM’s achievements in supporting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in bringing the country closer to EU accession through the Stabilisation and Association Process. What is the balance sheet of the EUPM and what lessons can it provide for CSDP? In attendance were representatives of the EU institutions (European Commission, EU Delegation in BiH), representatives of the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Security and the Parliamentary Assembly as well as academics, think tankers and key players in civil society.

The EUPM was established in January 2003 as the first mission under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). Since then, the EUPM has contributed to the implementation of the peace agreement, to police reform and accountability, as well as to the enhancement of law enforcement agencies in the country, particularly in the fight against organised crime and corruption. As such, the EUPM has represented a crucial component of the EU’s overall strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with EUFOR Althea, the action of the EU Special Representative and the Stabilisation and Association Process.