In a decisive move to strengthen migration control, the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina have inked a new status agreement granting Frontex — the European Border and Coast Guard Agency — the authority to deploy personnel across Bosnia’s borders, including those with non-EU countries and key airports like Sarajevo.
The agreement, signed by EU Commissioner Magnus Bruner and BiH’s Council of Ministers Chair Borjana Krišto, marks a key milestone in the EU’s 2022 Western Balkans Action Plan.
This expanded collaboration reflects a regional shift in migration dynamics, with irregular crossings in the Western Balkans plummeting from 145,600 in 2022 to just over 21,000 in 2024 — and another 58% drop reported in early 2025.
Frontex, advising Bosnia since 2009, now formalises its presence under its enhanced 2019 mandate.
With similar agreements in place across the region, and 500 agents already active, the EU is clearly tightening its external borders — not only with walls and checkpoints, but through regional partnerships and strategic diplomacy.
