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The European Union supports the digital transformation and reform of public administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina

by AI | 19.Sep 2025 | Europe in brief AI

The EU “Twinning” project worth 800,000 euros provided two years of support to IDDEEA in BiH, strengthening technical and institutional capacities, improving e-services, data security, and compliance with EU standards for efficient and transparent public administration.

EU project of digital transformation and public administration reform in BiH (Photo: FENA/IDDEEA BIH)

Sarajevo, (Fena) – A modern and efficient public administration is key to the process of European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In order to provide services that are secure, digital, and citizen-oriented, the country needs institutions capable of meeting the standards of the European Union (EU). This was precisely the contribution of the EU-funded “Twinning” project, worth 800,000 euros, which has provided direct support to the Agency for Identification Documents, Registers, and Data Exchange (IDDEEA) over the past two years.

Experts from Italy and Finland worked together with colleagues in Bosnia and Herzegovina to strengthen the technical and institutional capacities of IDDEEA, ensuring progress in five priority areas: providing e-services, security and quality of information systems, the concept of open data, alignment with EU legal acquis, and capacity building and human resource development.

The completion of the project was marked in Sarajevo at a conference that brought together institutional stakeholders and presented the main results.

– This project represents a significant step forward in the reform of public administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a key process for building an efficient, transparent, and citizen-oriented administration. Through close cooperation with experts from Italy, Finland, and BiH, we worked on strengthening key areas that will bring lasting benefits to citizens and help align BiH with EU standards. The EU remains committed to continuous support for these reforms, recognizing that a strong public administration is crucial for the country’s development and its path to European integration – emphasized Adebayo Babajide, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project achieved important results by bringing together EU experts and partners from BiH to strengthen local capacities.

This cooperation led to the development of eight practical guidelines for new e-services and cybersecurity standards, as well as a clear plan for legislative and procedural reform. Through practical training, workshops, and continuous knowledge exchange, public administration staff improved their skills to better serve citizens and support sustainable reform.

Representatives from Italy and Finland also highlighted the value of cooperation, which not only strengthened institutional capacities but also promoted transparency, ethical use of personal data, and inter-institutional cooperation in line with EU standards.

Almir Badnjević, Director of IDDEEA, expressed gratitude to the European Union and partner institutions, noting that the “Twinning” project provided IDDEEA with concrete tools and methodologies to improve digital services for citizens, strengthen data protection, and foster trust in public administration.

The project was jointly implemented by CSI Piemonte (Italy), HAUS Institute of Public Management Ltd (Finland), the Italian Data Protection Authority (GPDP), and Eutalia (Italy), in close cooperation with IDDEEA. (19.09.)