Members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Internal Affairs of the European Parliament this afternoon will have on their agenda the Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The reporter is Jaroslav Bžoch from the Patriots for Europe group.
In the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is stated that on October 14, 2025, the Commission informed the rapporteurs about the progress achieved in the negotiations on the status agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina were also present at the meeting.
A meeting with the Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer (“FRO”) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (“EDPS”) is also scheduled for 6 November 2025. The agreement was signed on June 11, 2025 in Sarajevo.
During the height of the migration and refugee crisis in 2015, hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and migrants arrived in the European Union via the Western Balkans. Migration pressure on the Western Balkan routes was significant in the following years, creating pressure on the EU’s external borders. Therefore, further efforts are needed to control the migration flow in a legal way, in accordance with international and European legislation.
The rapporteur believes that the conclusion of formal, legally binding agreements within the framework of cooperation with third countries is of key importance for ensuring transparency, public oversight and democratic oversight of such cooperation.
Structured and sustainable cooperation with third countries, especially the Western Balkans, is an integral part of the European area of stability and security. Therefore, strengthening cooperation in the field of migration and border management with Bosnia and Herzegovina is strategically important for easing the pressure on Croatian borders with neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina and thus preventing illegal crossings of the EU’s external borders, as well as for the fight against cross-border crime. Close cooperation with partners from the Western Balkans is therefore crucial not only for managing migration flows to the EU, reducing the number of illegal arrivals and improving the efficiency of return operations, but also for combating migrant smuggling and mitigating the risks associated with organized crime.
Both the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and Bosnia and Herzegovina are obliged to comply with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 and ensure its full compliance, including fundamental rights. During the consent procedure in the European Parliament, the explanations given by the Commission, the relevant authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the FRO and the EDPS on the importance of this status agreement proved to be satisfactory. The agreement on the status and presence of officers of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina will contribute to the suppression of illegal migration to the EU and the improvement of the overall security situation, while fully preserving fundamental rights in border control processes.
Given the significant number of people transiting through Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the EU, this agreement will strengthen support for Western Balkan partners in managing migration flows more efficiently and fully in line with our European standards.
In conclusion, the rapporteur considers that the proposed status agreement is in accordance with the model status agreement as envisaged in the Commission’s communication on the content and provisions that should be included in the final agreement.
As this agreement enters the implementation phase, the European Parliament requests that the European Border and Coast Guard Agency immediately informs the European Parliament about the activities carried out within the framework of the implementation of the Status Agreement and reminds the Agency of its obligation to include an assessment of cooperation with third countries in its annual reports.
Status agreements on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, which have already been concluded with Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia, have proven that close cooperation with the Western Balkans brings positive results.
In light of the above, the rapporteur recommends that Parliament support the draft text of the Council’s decision, he writes Avaz.
