At a meeting today with a visiting delegation from EUROPOL hosted by BiH Minister of Security, Dragan Mektic, and the RS Minister of Interior, Dragan Lukac, and the FBiH Minister of Interior, Aljosa Campara, an agreement was reached to establish at the BiH Ministry of Security the joint point of contact for implementation of the information sharing Agreement between EUROPOL and BiH.

EUSR/HOD Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, who was also present during the meeting, and the visiting EUROPOL Delegation welcomed the understanding reached among the three ministers as an important step in further improving cooperation and coordination on security and law enforcement matters between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina.  BiH is the only operational partner of EUROPOL in the Western Balkans which did not yet have such a national point of contact.

The type of information exchanged covers all forms of organised and other serious crimes, such as terrorism, arms trafficking, human trafficking cyber-crime, child sexual abuse, homocide and armed robbery.

The Joint Contact Point will consist of an office with seconded staff from all relevant police authorities in BiH at all levels of government.  The European Union will provide support as appropriate to the establishment of the Joint Contact Point.

The establishment of the Joint Contact Point will also pave the way for an exchange of police liaison officers between EUROPOL and BiH, which will further improve coordination between law enforcement agencies in the European Union and Bosnia Herzegovina.