EU Approves €15 Million Military Assistance Package for Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Council of the European Union has adopted a €15 million assistance measure for the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the European Peace Facility, according to EU officials.

The package is intended to strengthen the country’s military and defense capabilities while supporting interoperability with European and international partners. The measure follows earlier bilateral support initiatives provided in 2021 and 2022.

According to the decision, the funding will support the operational readiness of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and improve their ability to participate in EU Common Security and Defense Policy missions as well as multinational operations.

The assistance package is expected to include personal protective equipment, CBRN protection systems for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, night observation devices, and transport vehicles. The EU also indicated that additional supplies, operational support services, and training activities could be provided where necessary.

EU institutions stated that the measure reflects continued engagement with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the security and defense sector and supports the country’s alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The regional dimension of cooperation was also highlighted through the Balkan Medical Task Force, a multinational medical capability supported through the same EU financing instrument.

The European Peace Facility was established in 2021 as an off budget mechanism designed to finance actions under the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. The instrument supports conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and the strengthening of partner countries’ defense capacities.