On 15 October 2007, Mr. Andre Lys, deputy Head of Delegation of the European Commission Delegation to BiH, and Mr. Tarik Sadovic, Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, officially launched the operation of the Migration Information System.
The European Union provided 920,000 Euro for the construction and implementation of the Migration Information System, which is an integrated electronic database of all data relating to foreign nationals seeking to enter, reside and exit BiH. It will provide a link between all relevant migration agencies and bodies: BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BiH Ministry of Security, BiH Border Police and the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs, and will enable the collection, sharing and dissemination of relevant migration information.
Establishment of the Migration Information System was financed through a CARDS 2003 project worth 920.000 Euro and its implementation continued as one of the components under CARDS 2005 “Support to Migration Management Capacities in BIH”, worth a total of 1.2 million Euro, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with BIH Ministry of Security.
The implementation of this system will improve the national approach to migration information management for the benefit of both BiH and foreign nationals as it will contribute to a faster and more precise decision-making process. The Border Police will at the touch of a button be able to access all relevant data on a foreign national including visa application, previous migration history and criminal register, which will help check on a foreigner’s status and then take appropriate action.
Mr. Lys noted that the development of an effective migration database is essential for any realistic efforts to responsibly manage migration. The Migration Information System will provide the basis for the development of a truly intelligence-led approach to migration management. By establishing this system, BiH has made a further step toward fulfilling European standards in migration management. In turn, this will help to further facilitate the EU visa regime for BiH citizens. He stressed that the European Commission will continue to support BiH in its efforts towards EU integration, adding that the EC counts on the determination of BiH to implement the reforms needed for its citizens on the country’s EU path.
