Further strengthening of the Statistical System in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Twinning grant under the Instrument for Pre accession Assistance, reference EuropeAid, offers €1,000,000 for an 18 month project to strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina's statistical system. Eligible applicants are public administrations and mandated bodies from European Union Member States submitting via their National Contact Point for Twinning and the submission deadline is 15 June 2026 at 10:00 UTC. The project scope includes harmonising national accounts, improving the statistical business register, enhancing social and sectoral statistics including EU SILC, migration, energy, environment and research and development statistics, and implementing standardised quality management frameworks to align with EU standards.

Call type and reference

EuropeAid/186647/DD/ACT/BA — Twinning (IPA III)

Action grant (Twinning) to support harmonisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina official statistics with EU standards and to strengthen institutional capacity across national and entity statistical offices (BHAS, FIS, RSIS).

What it funds:Capacity building, methodological development and expert support in macroeconomic, business, social and sectoral statistics; establishment/improvement of Statistical Business Register, quality management, use of administrative sources, training, and short‑term expert missions.

Who can apply:Only public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States acting through Member State National Contact Points for Twinning (Member State partner administrations supply the Project Leader, RTA, component leaders and experts).

1. 1Total EU budget available: €1,000,000
2. 2Project duration: 18 months
3. 3Deadline for submission: 15 June 2026 (10:00 UTC)

Proposals follow the Twinning Manual and must be submitted by EU Member State public administrations via their National Contact Points. Full Twinning fiche and Annex C9 are published with the call documents. Apply/consult documents on the portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Basic opportunity information

Title:Further strengthening of the Statistical System in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reference: EuropeAid (Twinning). Programme: Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) Annual Action Programme 2022 for Bosnia and Herzegovina; EU4 Public Administration Reform (Window 2: Good Governance). Geographical zone: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Type of action: Action Grants implemented as a Twinning project. Publication date: 06/05/2026. Deadline for submission: 15/06/2026 at 10:00:00 UTC. EU funded budget: €1,000,000. Project duration: 18 months. Implementing authority: EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Primary documents and annexes:Key supporting documents published with the call include the Twinning Fiche (ANNEX C1) and Annex C9 Standard Twinning publication note. Full Twinning Fiche and Annexes are available to Member State National Contact Points; the fiche contains the logical framework, detailed component descriptions, required expert profiles, and reporting obligations ¹.

Detailed description and objectives

Overall objective:Further harmonise official statistics in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with EU standards and improve statistics in terms of volume, quality and statistical production. Specific objective: Strengthen institutional capacities of the statistical system and further harmonise statistics in BiH with EU standards by improving social and macro-economic statistics, the Statistical Business Register (SBR), sectoral statistics and quality management frameworks.

Rationale and background:BiH is an EU candidate country with complex multi-level statistical governance (Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina BHAS, Institute for Statistics of the Federation FIS, Republika Srpska Institute RSIS, and Central Bank CBBH). The national system exhibits partial compliance with EU acquis (e.g., ESA 2010 for national accounts), limited administrative data integration, incomplete sectoral statistics (energy, environment, R&D), and uneven quality management and documentation (GSBPM, SIMS 2.0). The Twinning project builds on previous IPA Twinning and service contracts and aims to address these gaps to support accession-related reforms and evidence-based policymaking.

Components, mandatory results and activities

The Twinning project is structured into two components with mandatory results and indicative sub-results:

1. 1Component 1: Macroeconomic and Business statistics. Expected outputs include improved National Accounts compilation and methodologies aligned with ESA 2010 (draft methodologies, staff training, assessment and recommendations), and further improvement of the Statistical Business Register including profiling of large enterprises, integration of administrative data, guidelines and methodology for business demography.
2. 2Component 2: Social and Sectoral statistics. Expected outputs include inventory of administrative data sources relevant to population and housing census; methodology and action plan for migration statistics; capacity building for EU-SILC, gender statistics, energy statistics, environment statistics, R&D and innovation statistics; implementation of a standardised quality framework (GSBPM, SIMS 2.0) across surveys; improvements in environmental and waste statistics; and enhanced transmission of EU-required files to Eurostat.

Indicators and performance measurement:The logical framework (Annex C1a) lists specific measurable indicators such as: methodology prepared for Supply and Use Tables (SUT) and Input-Output Tables (IOT) and compilation started; number of staff trained on ESA 2010; increased share of National Accounts outputs meeting Eurostat quality standards; new SBR variables produced and transmitted to Eurostat; number of mandatory EU-SILC transmission files prepared and submitted; number of gender-disaggregated indicators produced; number of energy and R&D indicators regularly transmitted; percentage of surveys with full GSBPM and SIMS 2.0 process documentation.

Eligible applicants and participation rules

Eligibility is restricted by Twinning rules:only public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States may apply, and they must submit proposals via their Member State National Contact Points for Twinning. The Member State proposal is the applicant; applications from private entities, NGOs, universities or individual experts are not eligible as the lead. Proposals must follow Twinning Manual templates and national submission channels. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State National Contact Point may be submitted to the Contracting Authority for this call. British applicants note specific post-Brexit eligibility warnings in Annex C9 if relevant.

Eligible applicant types:Eligible applicant types: public administrations of EU Member States and mandated bodies of Member State administrations acting through National Contact Points for Twinning. The beneficiary administrations in BiH (BHAS, FIS, RSIS) are partners and recipients; they are not eligible to be the lead applicants for this Twinning call. Other entity types (SMEs, universities, NGOs, individuals) may participate only as subcontractors or short-term experts if allowed under Twinning rules, but cannot be the applicant or lead partner.

Funding, financial arrangements and co-funding

EU funded budget:€1,000,000. The modal funding instrument is an EU Twinning Action Grant financed under IPA III direct management. Implementation, tendering, contracting and accounting responsibilities lie with the EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The budget covers costs related to the Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA), short-term experts, study visits, trainings, mission costs, project administration, and associated activities as defined in the Twinning Manual and contract. The Twinning contract and reporting include both narrative and financial sections; interim quarterly reports and a final report are mandatory.

Funding type:Primary funding mechanism: grant (Action Grant implemented as a Twinning project under IPA direct management).

Co-funding requirement:Twinning calls under the Twinning Manual do not normally require financial co-funding from the Member State applicant because participating Member State public administrations provide expertise and staff as in-kind contributions. The fiche specifies the need for Member State inputs (Project Leader, RTA, component leaders and short-term experts) which constitute essential non-financial contributions from the Member State partner. No applicant cash co-financing by the Member State is indicated in the Twinning fiche for this action, but in-kind deployment of experts and administrative time is required.

Consortium requirement, geographic scope and beneficiaries

Consortium requirement:The Twinning instrument requires a single Member State administration (or mandated body) to act as the applicant/lead partner. The project will pair that Member State administration with the Beneficiary country administration(s). Therefore, the application is single-lead (Member State) but includes multiple implementing partners (BHAS, FIS, RSIS) as beneficiaries. Geographic eligibility for applicants: EU Member State public administrations. Beneficiary scope: Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Twinning is country-specific).

Beneficiary scope (geographic eligibility):Eligible applicants: EU Member State public administrations and mandated bodies. Beneficiary country: Bosnia and Herzegovina (project implemented in BiH).

Target sectors, project maturity and expected outcomes

Target sector:official statistics and public administration reform with cross-cutting relevance to macroeconomic statistics, business statistics, social statistics, sectoral statistics (energy, environment, R&D), statistical quality management and data governance. Project stage: capacity development and implementation bridging research, development, validation and demonstration into operational production (expected to move national statistics closer to EU-compliant production and ongoing transmission to Eurostat). The project focuses on institutional strengthening, methodological development and staff training rather than early-stage scientific research or commercial scale-up.

Project stage:Expected maturity: development and implementation (capacity building, methodology drafting, system and process documentation, initial production of SUT/IOT and EU transmission files).

Human resources and expert profiles required

Member State input requirements:The Twinning proposal must identify and commit a Member State Project Leader (PL) with senior public administration rank and relevant managerial experience; a Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA) to be based full-time in the Beneficiary administration for the 18-month duration; two Component Leaders (economic statistics and social/sectorial statistics); and a roster of short-term experts. Required qualifications include university degree (statistics, economics or related) or equivalent experience, at least three years of relevant managerial professional experience within an EU Member State National Statistical System, strong English skills, experience with EU statistical legislation (ESA 2010, EBS 2019/2152, Social Statistics 2019/1700 etc.), and experience in Twinning or similar international technical assistance projects.

1. 1Profile of Project Leader (PL): senior official from Member State public administration; university degree in statistics/economics or 8 years equivalent; minimum 3 years managerial experience in EU MS National Statistical System; English proficiency; role includes co-chairing PSC and oversight of project delivery.
2. 2Profile of Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA): based full-time in BiH for the project; university degree or 8 years equivalent; at least 3 years professional experience in EU MS statistical administration including managerial experience; coordinates short-term experts and daily activities.
3. 3Component Leaders: two leaders (economic and social/sectoral); university degree or equivalent; at least 3 years domain-specific experience in EU MS administration; experience with EU legislation and Twinning projects.
4. 4Short-term experts: officials or assimilated agents of an EU MS administration or mandated bodies; university degree or equivalent; at least 3 years specific professional experience; experience in training and fluency in English.

Procedures, selection, award and application modalities

Application modality and submission channel:Twinning proposals must be submitted by the Lead Member State administration to the Member State National Contact Point for Twinning following the Twinning Manual template and then transmitted by that National Contact Point to the Contracting Authority (EU Delegation in BiH) via email. The Twinning Manual prescribes template use and administrative compliance checks. Only one proposal per Member State National Contact Point may be sent to the Contracting Authority. The deadline for submission to the Contracting Authority is specified in the call (this call indicates 15/06/2026).

Application type:Application is an open call for Twinning proposals directed to EU Member State public administrations via National Contact Points; submission is not through the standard EU Funding Portal submission service but via National Contact Points to the Contracting Authority as specified in Annex C9.

Selection and award criteria:Selection criteria assess operational capacity of proposed key staff (PL, RTA, component leaders) on a Yes/No basis (a single negative disqualifies). Award criteria evaluate qualitative merits (methodology, experience of proposed experts, administration’s experience in cooperation projects) using a 1-to-5 scoring system. Evaluation follows the Twinning Manual guidance and Annexes C6 and C7 for administrative compliance and eligibility.

Application structure and templates

Required application documents:Twinning proposals must follow Twinning Manual templates. Core elements include: project fiche alignment, proposed methodology and workplan, list and CVs of the Project Leader, RTA, Component Leaders and short-term experts, proposed activities and deliverables mapped to mandatory results, a detailed work plan including timelines and milestones, visibility and communication plan, and evidence of institutional commitment from the Member State administration. The Twinning Manual Annexes provide administrative compliance grids and a standard proposal template.

Templates and application form structure:Application forms follow the Twinning Manual template and typically contain: 1) Administrative data and contact details; 2) Project summary and justification; 3) Detailed methodology and activities per component; 4) Work plan and timeline (milestones for PL, RTA, short-term expert missions, trainings, study visits, reporting); 5) Staff profiles and CVs for PL, RTA and Component Leaders; 6) Budget breakdown and justification (aligned with Twinning eligible cost categories); 7) Risk assessment and mitigation; 8) Monitoring and evaluation indicators; 9) Visibility and sustainability plan; 10) Declaration of compliance with Twinning Manual rules. The Member State National Contact Point validates administrative compliance before submission to the Contracting Authority.

Reporting, governance and delivery arrangements

Governance:A Project Steering Committee (PSC) will be established, co-chaired by the Member State PL and Beneficiary country PL, to monitor progress, review interim reports, finalise work plan updates and ensure stakeholder coordination. Reporting: interim quarterly narrative and financial reports (submitted at each PSC meeting) and a final report are required; reporting language and contractual documents are in English. The RTA prepares progress reports and coordinates short-term experts under the supervision of the PL.

Risks, sustainability and cross-cutting issues

Identified risks:lack of cooperation among BiH institutions, limited IT infrastructure, shortage of specialised staff (sample design, statisticians), potential delays in access to administrative data sources, and insufficient human resources. Mitigation measures include close coordination via PSC, complementarity with ongoing IPA projects (IPA 2019 Twinning, IPA 2019 service contracts, IPA 2022 supply and MBP projects), and Member State support for sustainability. Sustainability: results will be embedded in the Strategic Development of Statistics of BiH 2030 and national Statistical Programme 2025–2028 to ensure institutional ownership. Cross-cutting issues: gender mainstreaming, equal opportunities, inclusion of persons with disabilities and minority protection, environmental considerations and climate-neutral planning, anti-corruption and good governance measures.

1. 1Equality and inclusion: participation guaranteed on equal-access basis with measures to include persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups.
2. 2Gender mainstreaming: integrate gender-sensitive methodologies and deliver targeted capacity building.
3. 3Environmental considerations: project designed to be climate-neutral with reduced paper use and environmentally friendly procurement.
4. 4Anti-corruption: adhere to IPA Implementing Regulation and principles of good governance.

Administrative and contact information

Implementing Agency and contact:EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Programme Manager Ms. Dijana Sikima (Skenderija 3a, Sarajevo). Beneficiary contact counterparts in BHAS: Ms. Selveta Hot, Head of International Cooperation and European Integrations Department (contact for RTA counterpart and project coordination) and Ms. Vesna Ćužić, Director of BHAS (PL counterpart).

Application timeline and stages

Deadline:15/06/2026 at 10:00:00 UTC for submission to the Contracting Authority via Member State National Contact Points. Provisional start dates and evaluation committee meeting dates are to be specified; Twinning Manual indicates an 8-week submission window for Standard Twinning after call issuance. Key sequential milestones include approval and launch of the Twinning Fiche, selection of the Twinning partner, signature of Twinning contract, establishment of PSC, commencement of implementation, and submission of final report.

Application stages:Number of procedural stages: 2 main stages — 1) national-level proposal preparation and validation via Member State National Contact Point (internal stage) and 2) submission to Contracting Authority and subsequent evaluation/award process. Evaluation includes eligibility/administrative compliance (Yes/No) and qualitative award scoring (1–5).

Success rates and competition

Success rates:Not specified in the Twinning fiche or Annex C9. Twinning calls are competitive among Member State administrations; however, historical success rates are not provided in the call documents. Award depends on meeting selection criteria and achieving highest scores in award criteria (methodology, quality of proposed experts, institutional experience).

Summary of technical and legal standards to be applied

Union acquis and standards applicable to the action include Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics, ESA 2010 (Regulation (EU) No 549/2013), Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European Business Statistics and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197, Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 on social statistics frameworks, energy statistics regulations (1099/2008 and subsequent amendments), Regulation (EC) No 691/2011 on environmental economic accounts and specific legal instruments for waste statistics. Cross-cutting ESS guidelines (ESS Quality Assurance Framework, GSBPM, SIMS 2.0), IMF GDDS/SDDS Plus and UNECE standards where relevant will guide methodologies and quality assurance.

Mentioned countries

Explicitly mentioned country:Bosnia and Herzegovina (beneficiary). Applicant eligibility limited to EU Member States (applicant administrations).

Coherence with other EU instruments and linked activities

The Twinning action complements prior and ongoing EU assistance:previous IPA Twinning projects (IPA 2015, IPA 2017), ongoing IPA 2019 Twinning (EU for Further development of Statistics System in BiH), IPA 2019 service contracts to increase administrative data use and agricultural census support, IPA 2022 supply contracts for IT equipment to enable data exchange, and IPA multi-beneficiary programme activities covering national accounts, business registers, transport, SILC, environmental accounts and quality management. The Twinning fiche is designed to avoid overlap and build on these interventions.

How to prepare a compliant Twinning proposal

1. 1Ensure the applicant is an EU Member State public administration or mandated body and coordinate submission through the Member State National Contact Point for Twinning.
2. 2Use the Twinning Manual templates and Annexes (application form, administrative compliance grid) without deviation.
3. 3Identify and secure commitment from qualified Project Leader (PL) and Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA) and propose two Component Leaders with relevant domain expertise; include CVs and proofs of institutional affiliation.
4. 4Design a practical methodology and detailed work plan mapped to the Twinning fiche mandatory results and logical framework indicators, including mission schedules, trainings, study visits and deliverables.
5. 5Demonstrate complementarity with existing IPA projects and national strategies (Statistical Programme 2025–2028, Strategic Development of Statistics 2030) and include risk mitigation and sustainability measures.
6. 6Prepare a visibility plan, gender and inclusion measures, environmental considerations and anti-corruption safeguards in line with IPA regulations.
7. 7Submit the completed proposal via the Member State National Contact Point to the Contracting Authority before the indicated deadline.

Concluding summary

This Twinning call finances a targeted institutional capacity-building project to further harmonise Bosnia and Herzegovina's statistical system with EU standards. It is a Standard Twinning intervention under IPA III with €1,000,000 available to support an 18-month programme of activities focused on macroeconomic and business statistics (National Accounts, SBR), social and sectoral statistics (EU-SILC, migration, energy, environment, R&D), and the adoption of quality management frameworks (GSBPM, SIMS 2.0). Only EU Member State public administrations may apply through their National Contact Points; the successful applicant will provide senior staff (PL), a Resident Twinning Adviser on-site, component leaders and short-term experts to work jointly with BHAS, FIS and RSIS. The action is heavily process- and expert-driven, requires adherence to EU statistical legislation and ESS standards, and is designed to produce concrete, Eurostat-compatible outputs and sustainable institutional improvements that will support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU accession process.

For full details, applicants must consult the Twinning Fiche and Annexes provided by the Contracting Authority and follow the Twinning Manual. The Twinning Fiche contains the logical framework, detailed mandatory results, expert profiles, reporting obligations and administrative guidance for proposal submission and evaluation ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Primary source: ANNEX C1 Twinning Fiche and ANNEX C9 Standard Twinning (Call publication note) published with the call documentation on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and made available to Member State National Contact Points for Twinning.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a Twinning grant opportunity funded by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) to strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina's statistical system and align it with EU standards. The project aims to improve the volume, quality, and production of official statistics across macroeconomic, business, social, and sectoral domains. The opportunity is open for submission until 15 June 2026 at 10:00 UTC.

Reference Number:EuropeAid (Twinning Reference: BA 22 IPA ST 01 25)

Total Budget:€1,000,000

Project Duration:18 months

Application Deadline:15 June 2026 at 10:00 UTC

Who Can Apply

Only public administrations and mandated bodies from European Union Member States may apply for this Twinning opportunity. Applications must be submitted through the EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State can be submitted to the Contracting Authority (the EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) within the application deadline. ¹

Project Objectives and Scope

Overall Objective

To further harmonise official statistics in Bosnia and Herzegovina with EU standards and improve statistics in terms of volume, quality, and statistical production. The project contributes to Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU accession process by strengthening its statistical system to meet both national needs and EU requirements.

Specific Objectives

To strengthen the statistical system institutional capacities and further harmonise statistics in Bosnia and Herzegovina with EU standards by improving social and macro-economic statistics, the statistical business register, sectoral statistics, and quality management. The project will support the implementation of the Strategic Development of Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2030 and the Statistical Programme of BiH 2025-2028.

Project Components

The Twinning project is structured into two main components, each with specific deliverables and outputs aligned with EU acquis requirements.

Component 1: Macroeconomic and Business Statistics:This component focuses on improving national accounts statistics through methodology development and staff training, assessment of compilation practices, and recommendations for alignment with ESA 2010 standards. It also includes further improvement of the Statistical Business Register through development and testing of large enterprise profiling, preparation of guidelines and methodology for profiling and data integration, and preparation of methodology for business demography. Key outputs include preparation of methodology for Supply and Use Tables and Input-Output Tables, increased staff training on ESA 2010, improved national accounts outputs meeting Eurostat quality standards, new Statistical Business Register variables delivered to Eurostat, and increased use of administrative data sources for business statistics.

Component 2: Social and Sectoral Statistics:This component includes preparation of an inventory list of administrative data sources relevant for population and housing census, preparation of methodological documents and action plans for migration statistics, and capacity building assistance for EU SILC (Statistics on Income and Living Conditions), gender statistics, energy statistics, environmental statistics, Research and Development and Innovation statistics. It also encompasses implementation of a standardised quality framework for quality management in statistics. Specific outputs include migration statistics methodological documents aligned with EU regulations, new administrative or survey data sources identified and documented, mandatory EU-SILC transmission files prepared and submitted to Eurostat, new or improved gender-disaggregated indicators produced and published, high-quality energy statistics indicators produced and transmitted to Eurostat, improved R&D data collection, and establishment of regular data reporting for specific waste streams in accordance with EU regulations.

Beneficiary Institutions

The project directly benefits four key statistical institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina:the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHAS) at the state level, the Institute for Statistics of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIS), the Institute for Statistics of Republika Srpska (RSIS), and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CBBH). These institutions will work together as implementation partners to achieve the project objectives and ensure coordination across the complex multi-level statistical system.

EU Acquis and Standards Alignment

The project is designed to support Bosnia and Herzegovina's alignment with comprehensive EU legislative and regulatory frameworks for statistics. ² Key regulations and standards include Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics and the European Statistics Code of Practice; Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 on the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010); Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics; Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 on European statistics relating to persons and households; EC Regulation No 1099/2008 on energy statistics and its amendments; Regulation (EC) No 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts; and Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002 on waste statistics. The project also adheres to European Statistical System guidelines, the ESS Quality Assurance Framework, and international standards from UNECE and the IMF where applicable.

Key Personnel Requirements

The Member State partner must provide qualified personnel to lead and implement the project. The following key roles are mandatory:

Member State Project Leader (PL):A senior official from a public administration with sufficient rank to ensure operational dialogue at political level. The PL must have a university degree preferably in statistics, economics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience of at least 8 years; strong written and spoken English communication skills; at least 3 years of general professional experience in statistics within an EU Member State National Statistical System; and at least 3 years of experience in a managerial position within an EU Member State National Statistical System. The PL oversees project planning, supervision, and coordination, co-chairs Project Steering Committee meetings, handles administrative tasks, and bears overall responsibility for correct and successful implementation and sound financial management.

Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA):A full-time on-site expert based in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the entire 18-month project duration. The RTA must have a university degree preferably in statistics, economics, or a related field, or at least 8 years of relevant professional experience; fluent written and spoken English; at least 3 years of general professional experience in statistics within an EU Member State National Statistical System; and at least 3 years of experience in a managerial position within an EU Member State National Statistical System. Relevant working experience in the Western Balkans is considered an asset. The RTA oversees and coordinates implementation of all project activities, advises on EU statistical standards and practices, supervises short-term experts, prepares progress reports, develops and updates the project work plan, and maintains regular communication with all stakeholders.

Component Leaders:Two component leaders must be proposed, one covering economic statistics and one covering social and sectorial statistics. Each must have a university degree preferably in statistics, economics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience of at least 8 years; fluent written and spoken English; at least 3 years of professional experience in one or more statistical domains relevant to the project gained within an EU Member State Administration; at least 3 years of experience in the specific area for which they are proposed; overall knowledge of relevant EU legislative and institutional requirements; and experience in Twinning or similar international projects in statistics.

Short-term Experts:Additional short-term experts will be deployed to deliver specific expertise. They must be officials or assimilated agents of a Member State public administration or mandated body, with a university degree or equivalent professional experience of at least 8 years, at least 3 years of specific professional experience related to their assigned tasks in a specialised national administration, experience in implementing training courses, and fluent written and spoken English.

Implementation Arrangements

Implementing Agency:The EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is responsible for tendering, contracting, and accounting. The primary contact is Ms. Dijana Sikima, Programme Manager, at the Delegation of the European Union to BiH, Skenderija 3a, Sarajevo, telephone +387 33 254 785, fax +387 33 666 037.

Project Language:The official language of the project is English. All formal communications, interim reports, and final reports must be produced in English.

Project Steering Committee:A Project Steering Committee will be established to oversee implementation, monitor progress against mandatory results and outputs, ensure effective coordination among stakeholders, review and finalise interim reports, and discuss work plan updates. Quarterly interim reports will be submitted for review at each PSC meeting, with narrative sections assessing progress against mandatory results and including specific recommendations and corrective measures.

Office and Logistical Support:The Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina will provide sufficient office space for the RTA, project assistant(s), and short-term experts on mission, along with meeting space as needed. The project office will be furnished with necessary telephones, personal computers with email and internet access, and free use of photocopying and fax machines.

Selection and Award Criteria

Selection criteria assess the operational capacity of the Member State Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser, and Component Leaders on a Yes/No basis. A single negative evaluation of one criterion disqualifies the proposal. Award criteria evaluate the merit of qualifying aspects of the proposal using a scoring system of 1 to 5. Selection and award of the Member State will be based on evaluation of qualitative aspects including the proposed methodology, experience of the proposed RTA and PL, experience of the administration in cooperation projects, and the Member State's presentation.

Application Process and Submission

Twinning proposals must be submitted by the Lead Member State Administration to the EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning, following the instructions in the Twinning Manual and using the required template. The National Contact Point then submits the proposal to the Contracting Authority (EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) via email. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State can be submitted within the deadline. The deadline for submission of Twinning proposals by the National Contact Point to the Contracting Authority is 15 June 2026 at 10:00 UTC. Any application received after this deadline will not be considered. The National Contact Point sets its own internal deadline for Member State Public Administrations to submit proposals.

Strategic Context and Justification

Bosnia and Herzegovina was recognised as a candidate country for EU accession in December 2022 and participates in the Stabilisation and Association Process. The EU Council decided in March 2024 to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. EU pre-accession assistance targets key reform areas essential for EU integration, with statistics playing a crucial role in monitoring reforms and meeting EU requirements. ³

The project directly addresses priorities identified in the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Article 88 of the SAA obliges statistical institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet both national and international user needs and respect European and international statistical standards including the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, the European Statistical Code of Practice, and the European Statistical Law. Article 111 commits Bosnia and Herzegovina to developing an efficient, accountable public administration.

The project supports implementation of the Strategic Development of Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2030, the long-term roadmap for developing the statistical system, and the Statistical Programme of BiH 2025-2028, which translates the strategy into concrete medium-term actions. Both documents align national priorities with EU-level objectives, particularly in line with Chapter 18 of the EU acquis.

According to the European Commission's 2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina Report (Chapter 18 - Statistics), the country remains at an early stage of preparation in statistics with limited progress in aligning with the EU acquis. Key challenges include partial compliance with the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010), gaps in national accounts and government finance statistics, insufficient administrative data for the statistical business register, incomplete harmonisation of sectoral statistics, gaps in environmental and Research and Development statistics, and uneven implementation of quality management standards across statistical processes.

Related and Complementary Projects

This Twinning project builds on previous EU support to Bosnia and Herzegovina's statistical system. The ongoing IPA 2019 Twinning project 'EU for Further Development of Statistics System in Bosnia and Herzegovina' (started January 2024, 24-month duration, €1,000,000 budget) focuses on improving business, tourism, information society, SILC, and balance of payments statistics. The ongoing IPA 2019 service contract 'EU4 Increased Use of Administrative Data Sources in Production of Official Statistics in BiH' aims to increase the use of administrative data sources in regular statistical production. The ongoing IPA 2019 service contract 'Support for Agricultural Census' contributes to improvement of agriculture statistics. The complementary IPA 2022 supply contract will provide necessary IT hardware and software tools to enable IT connection and data exchange between statistical institutions and administrative sources. Bosnia and Herzegovina also participates in 18 statistical projects under the IPA 2022 Multi-Beneficiary Programme, including those on national accounts, business registers, transport statistics, SILC, environmental accounts, and quality management, with an expected conclusion by the end of 2027.

Sustainability and Long-term Impact

The project is designed to support long-term sustainability of improvements by linking project results to the official Strategic Development of Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2030 and embedding them within established government procedures. This approach aims to secure institutional ownership and lasting impact. The Member State partner will propose its own approach to help ensure sustainability of project achievements. By strengthening coordination and cooperation among BHAS, FIS, RSIS, and CBBH and aligning methodologies with the EU acquis, the project contributes to fulfilling Stabilisation and Association Agreement obligations in the area of statistics.

Cross-Cutting Issues and Principles

The project integrates gender equality and equal opportunities across all activities and outputs. Legislation, regulations, methodological frameworks, and capacity-building initiatives including trainings, workshops, and study visits will be designed and delivered using gender-sensitive approaches and language, ensuring equal access for women and men. Participation will be guaranteed on an equal-opportunity basis irrespective of sex, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation, with specific measures to enable full inclusion of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. The project supports Bosnia and Herzegovina's commitment to mainstream gender in statistics and governance, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Minority and other marginalised groups including Roma, internally displaced persons, and youth will be protected from any form of direct or indirect discrimination. The project is designed to be climate-neutral with no negative environmental impact, reinforces policy coherence on green administration through reduced paper use, and promotes environmentally friendly procurement in line with the Green Agenda. Sound financial management and transparency will be ensured throughout implementation, with all necessary anti-corruption measures applied in accordance with IPA Implementing Regulations and principles of good governance.

Sustainable Development Goals

The project primarily contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by strengthening institutional capacities and improving governance through reliable statistics. It also contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduce Inequality Within and Among Countries), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) through improved social and economic statistics and gender-disaggregated indicators.

Key Performance Indicators and Measurement

The project includes comprehensive indicators for performance measurement across all components. Progress will be measured through improved assessment in the European Commission's annual report and Eurostat's annual compliance assessment, with a baseline of early stage and partial compliance in 2025 and a target of improved assessment by 2029. Specific indicators include the number of staff trained on ESA 2010, increased percentage of National Accounts outputs meeting Eurostat quality standards, new Statistical Business Register variables produced and delivered to Eurostat, guidelines and methodologies for profiling large enterprises developed, increased use of administrative data sources for business statistics, annual business demography datasets produced and transmitted to Eurostat, inventory lists of administrative data sources prepared, methodological documents for migration statistics aligned with EU regulations, new administrative or survey data sources identified and documented, mandatory EU-SILC transmission files prepared and submitted to Eurostat, new or improved gender-disaggregated indicators produced and published annually, methodological guidelines for gender statistics developed or updated, staff trained in gender statistics and mainstreaming, high-quality energy statistics indicators produced and transmitted to Eurostat, improved R&D data collection through online surveys, R&D statistical surveys conducted in line with Frascati Manual guidelines, climate investment evaluation reports produced using new methodology, staff trained in new methodology for environmental accounts and climate investment evaluation, specific waste streams with regular data reporting established in accordance with EU regulations, and percentage of statistical surveys with full process documentation (GSBPM), quality reporting (SIMS 2.0), and quality performance indicators available and transmitted to Eurostat in compliance with EU standards.

Important Considerations for Applicants

Applicants should note that the Twinning Manual must be strictly observed, including use of the required template for proposals. The project requires close cooperation and commitment from all involved partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including BHAS, FIS, RSIS, and CBBH. Limited IT support or shortage of sample design staff could affect implementation of planned activities. The project is designed to complement rather than duplicate ongoing regional projects and other EU-funded initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina's statistical system. Detailed information on this Call for Proposals is contained in the Twinning Manual and the specific project Twinning Fiches, available at the EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning. ⁴

For British applicants, please note that eligibility criteria must be complied with for the entire duration of the grant. If the United Kingdom withdraws from the EU during the grant period without concluding an agreement with the EU ensuring that British applicants continue to be eligible, funding will cease or participation may be required to end on the basis of Article 12.2 of the General Conditions to the grant agreement.

Contact Information

For questions regarding this opportunity, applicants should contact their respective EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning. The EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, responsible for implementation, can be reached at the Delegation of the European Union to BiH, Skenderija 3a, Sarajevo, telephone +387 33 254 785, fax +387 33 666 037. The primary contact is Ms. Dijana Sikima, Programme Manager. Additional information about the project is available at [[dst.dk and through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1The Twinning Manual provides detailed guidance on application procedures, proposal templates, and submission requirements. Applicants must follow all instructions in the Manual strictly to ensure their proposals are considered eligible.
2. 2The project addresses alignment with multiple EU regulations and standards including Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics, Regulation (EU) No 549/2013 on the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010), Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 on European business statistics, Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 on European statistics relating to persons and households, EC Regulation No 1099/2008 on energy statistics and its amendments, Regulation (EC) No 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts, and Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002 on waste statistics, among others.
3. 3The European Commission's 2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina Report and the 2025 Country Report provide detailed assessments of the country's progress in statistics and public administration reform. The Commission has repeatedly stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina's statistical system requires strengthening to ensure data accuracy and comparability with EU standards, particularly as the country progresses through accession negotiations.
4. 4The Twinning Manual, specific project Twinning Fiches, and all related documentation are available through the EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning. The official EU Funding and Tenders Portal provides access to the opportunity details, documents, and submission service at [[ec.europa.eu.