Important step: Bosnia Presidency approves Frontex agreement to strengthen EU border cooperation

The agreement represents a major step in enhancing operational cooperation between EU member states and the competent authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the area of migration management and the country’s broader path toward European integration.

The agreement will now be forwarded to Borjana Kristo, Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for formal signing, after which it will officially enter into force.

Earlier this year, the Council of Ministers approved the provisional application of the agreement in accordance with its relevant provisions. Bosnia's Security Ministry was then tasked with submitting the negotiation report to the Presidency along with a recommendation to designate Kristo as the official signatory.

The agreement had been initialled in Sarajevo in December 2023 by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s lead negotiator and Border Police Director Mirko Kupresakovic, and Henrik Nielsen, Director for Schengen, Borders and Visa at the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission.

The Frontex agreement will allow for the organisation of joint operations involving Frontex and BiH border guards. It also enables the deployment of Frontex border management teams on Bosnian territory to support migration flow management, combat illegal immigration, and curb cross-border crime.

Under EU regulations updated in 2019, Frontex personnel are authorised to operate in third countries, including performing executive powers such as border checks and registration of individuals, provided those countries grant their consent.