The European Union's pledge

Consolidating Peace

The war left Bosnia and Herzegovina totally ravaged. More than half its population was displaced and more than 1,2 million citizens had to flee abroad. The complete destruction of infrastructure, high unemployment, huge numbers of displaced people and worthless economy seriously threatened the region's stability. Since the signing of the Dayton/Paris Peace Agreement, the European Union (EU) has been in the forefront of helping Bosnia and Herzegovina along the road to consolidation of peace, democracy and a viable market economy. It has become today the country's principal partner, having pledged one billion EURO for the 1996-1999 reconstruction period and a further one billion EURO in humanitarian aid since the start of the conflict in 1992.

The European Commission (EC) is responsible for the implementation of the EU aid programmes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is permanently present in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the Delegation of the European Commission in Sarajevo and its two Representation offices in Mostar and Banja Luka.

EU reconstruction aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina is mainly given in the form of grants with no obligation other than the political commitment of the beneficiary to comply with the Peace Agreement.

By the scale of its interventions and the great diversity of its aid programmes, the European Union and the European Commission in particular have become indispensable partners of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), despite the fact that the Dayton/Paris accords gave them no mandate. Nevertheless, the EC works very closely with the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in charge of supervising the implementation of the civil aspects of the accords, as well as with other organisations such as the United Nations Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The European Union's involvement in all aspects of life in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a unique challenge. The main objectives of EC assistance are :

• to help consolidate the peace process and foster inter-Entity co-operation;

• to help ethnic reconciliation and the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes of origin;

• to establish functioning institutions and a viable democracy;

• to lay the foundations for sustainable economic recovery and growth;

• to bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to EU standards and principles.

A Future with Europe - Table of Contents