Western Balkans: A Decade of EU Support in Improving Systems and Protecting Migrants
Throughout the Western Balkans, IOM provides timely information and tailored counselling on assisted voluntary return and reintegration to migrants stranded in the region and wishing to return home. Credit: IOM Bosnia and Herzegovina
Over the past decade, the European Union (EU) funded programme “EU Regional Support to Protection-Sensitive Migration Management Systems in the Western Balkans” has played a pivotal role in strengthening migration and asylum systems across the region.
Implemented as a partnership among the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this initiative has supported authorities in the Western Balkans in enhancing migration and asylum governance, towards aligning them with EU and international standards.
Launched in response to the growing complexities of migration management and asylum in the region, the programme was conceived at a critical moment. Over the past decade, the initiative has played a key role in transitioning from an emergency response to shaping comprehensive legal and policy frameworks, improving border and asylum procedures, and reinforcing protection mechanisms for individuals in vulnerable situations.
Among other activities, the programme has also facilitated voluntary return and reintegration, supporting thousands of migrants stranded in the region. “Not only we have provided support with return assistance, but also with tailored reintegration to rebuild a life with dignity and opportunity”, emphasized Donatella Bradić, IOM Senior Western Balkans Programme Coordinator. “Since its inception, more than 3,300 migrants have benefited from assisted voluntary return programmes.”
Regional cooperation has been at the core of the programme, bringing together authorities from the Western Balkans, international partners, and EU member states to develop harmonized policies and share best practices.