Source: European Parliament
In view of increased irregular arrivals via the Western Balkan route, the Commission presented an EU Action Plan[1] in December 2022.
This Plan allowed to increase engagement with the region on the main challenges: border management, readmission and returns, fighting migrant smuggling, visa policy alignment, asylum and reception capacities.
The implementation of the Plan brought significant results and contributed to a 79% decrease in irregular border crossings from the Western Balkan so far in 2024.
Between 2021-2024, the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) III[2] has financed bilateral and regional actions for over EUR 350 million to strengthen Western Balkan partners’ migration and border management capacities.
These actions include regional programmes focusing on border security, combatting migrant smuggling and human trafficking, supporting migration management systems and training partners to carry out returns to countries of origin.
Negotiations of a Status Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina have been finalised in September 2024. Once it enters into force, it will enable deployments of the standing corps by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina .