EU4PEOPLE: Employment Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina

EU4PEOPLE- Employment Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthens employment opportunities for youth, women in rural areas and people facing serious barriers to work, while reinforcing the capacity of public institutions to deliver inclusive and effective labour market services. Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to face low employment rates, high youth unemployment and persistent gender gaps. Many young people, especially those not in employment, education or training, remain disconnected from the labour market. Women in rural areas experience limited access to jobs, transport and childcare, while persons with disabilities and social assistance beneficiaries often lack tailored support. At the same time, public employment services operate in a fragmented system with limited coordination, underdeveloped counselling and profiling tools, and insufficient links between employment measures and employer needs. The programme addresses these challenges through two mutually reinforcing components. First, it provides technical assistance to public employment services and relevant institutions to modernise core functions such as registration, profiling, counselling, career guidance, employer services and job mediation. It supports the development and application of Minimum Service and Programme Delivery Standards and strengthens labour market information systems to promote evidence-based and client-oriented service delivery. Second, it co-designs, implements and monitors seven Integrated Action Programmes that combine tailored employment support pathways with grant-funded initiatives. These programmes promote outreach, skills development, work-based learning, entrepreneurship and job placement, with particular attention to long-term unemployed youth and rural women. Selected public employment service offices pilot innovative active labour market measures aligned with the Youth Guarantee approach, fostering institutional learning and ownership. The programme contributes to the introduction of at least 20 improved employment measures, supports 1,500 people to access training and employment support, enables at least 1,000 to complete training aligned with individual support plans, and facilitates job placements and business creation for youth and other disadvantaged groups. At the institutional level, it strengthens the capacities of employment services and promotes the endorsement and application of common service standards. By linking institutional reform with direct support to people, EU4PEOPLE advances inclusive labour market participation, promotes gender equality and non-discrimination, and contributes to decent work, social cohesion and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress towards European integration.

Project symbol

BIH/25/01/EUR

Admin unit

DWT/CO-Budapest

Start date

01/03/2026

End date

31/08/2029

Total allocation

2937267

Total expenditure

Status

Active

12744

Development Partners

Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country/Countries

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Outcomes

Outcome 3: Full and productive employment for just transitions