The European Commission announced the allocation of €84,8 million in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support reforms necessary to help the country move forward on its path towards European integration.

The European Commission will invest €84,8 million in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support reforms necessary to help the country move forward on its path towards European integration. The funding will focus on increasing the efficiency of the judiciary, strengthening the country's parliaments, improvements in the transport sector and on inclusion of vulnerable groups, including refugees and internally displaced persons. In December 2012, it was also announced the investment of €300 million that will facilitate access to financing for SMEs in the Western Balkans.

Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy stressed that it is now crucial that an effective coordination mechanism is put in place by the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to make the best use of EU support, for the benefit of the country's citizens. The funding will also help strengthen the law enforcement agencies in the fight against organised crime, terrorism and corruption, and will advance Bosnia and Herzegovina's alignment with EU laws and standards.

The new assistance comes under the 2012 annual programme of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). Between 2007 and 2011, the EU already provided €439 million of pre-accession assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina.