The mission maintained its presence throughout the country through regional and field offices, ensuring monitoring, mentoring and strategic advice at local-, entity- and state-levels. Its BiH counterparts stated their appreciation of this approach, as it allowed them to address issues specific to their areas, with the highest level of assistance.

Focusing on police reform, and keeping a finger on police accountability, its primary centre of attention has been the fight against organised crime and corruption. This has included extensive work on effective co-ordination, communication and cooperation among BiH’s fifteen police agencies, as well as between law enforcement and the judiciary, succeeding in creating joint strategic and operational capacity.

EUPM's successes include:

• Law enforcement agencies at state and entity level have reached joint strategic and operational capacity;
• The police and judiciary at state level have developed and applied investigative capability in consistent cooperation with police and judiciary at other levels;
• Institutions and mechanisms prescribed by the police reform laws have been established and reached initial functionality;
• The police at all levels is able to acknowledge and effectively assume responsibility towards its community for its actions in line with domestic legislation, human rights standards and good governance principles;
• BiH police agencies have fulfilled all requirements from the Roadmap to visa liberalisation, leading to visa-free travel for its citizens since December 2010;
• The number of large scale anti-organised crime operations conducted by BiH police, including cross-border operations, has significantly increased.

 

The EU Police Mission has also implemented several public information campaigns to raise awareness of issues such as domestic violence, traffic safety, juvenile delinquency and property safety. These campaigns have helped the police to develop its outreach activities and to improve its image, its integrity and accountability towards citizens. EUPM is also leaving behind two police brands – 122 as a unique BiH police number and a Crime Stoppers hotline.

Making full use of its 'comprehensive approach' to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the EU will ensure the sustainability of EUPM's achievements through other tools.

The Office of the European Union Special Representative will be reinforced by a Law Enforcement Section, which will advise local legislative and executive authorities in order to ensure progressive development in the field of law enforcement, public safety and security and will facilitate the efforts of BiH and EU interlocutors alike.

The EU will continue to finance activities in the law enforcement sector through its Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), managed by the European Commission (19.3 million Euro since 2007). The EU is also maintaining its military operation in BiH, EUFOR ALTHEA, which is now focusing on capacity building and training of the armed forces.

On 25 June, the Foreign Affairs Council reiterated its unequivocal support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective as a sovereign and united country enjoying full territorial integrity. The Council also reaffirmed its intention to "further reinforce the EU role in the country as of July 2012, including by further increasing EU's presence in the field and on law enforcement, rule of law and economic matters, also following the closure of EUPM".

• Factsheet on EUPM BiH
• Council Conclusions on Bosnia and Herzegovina, 25 June 2012
• Launching the High Level Dialogue on the Accession Process of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• EU relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina