Analysing the Effectiveness of EUFOR Althea Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Analysing the Effectiveness of EUFOR Althea Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Summary/Abstract: European Union has since the 1990s established close links with the countries of the Western Balkans, aiming to secure stable, prosperous and well-functioning democratic societies on a path towards the EU integration. It had placed operations in the framework of then European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), now renamed Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), high on the political agenda of the Union. Following the decision by NATO to hand over its own operation that had the task of maintaining security in the region, the EU launched a military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina titled Operation EUFOR Althea, on 2 December 2004, 9 years after the war ended. EUFOR Althea is a military operation and up until now the longest CSDP operation in its history. The present paper undertakes an analysis of the effectiveness of EUFOR Althea, which is defined as: “when an operation achieves its purpose in an appropriate manner both from the perspective of the EU and the conflict it seeks to prevent.” So-called ‘effectiveness success criteria/indicators’ are used to evaluate the effectiveness. Indicators take into account two levels of perspectives, EU and non-EU, the first one including the general EU and EU personnel perspective, and the second entailing local stakeholders’ view. For assessing effectiveness, the article draws lessons from the findings of the research of EUFOR Althea’s capabilities. The article argues that despite the long-lasting presence of the operation on the ground and no official sign of the operation leaving soon, the operation has nevertheless achieved certain success, especially in maintaining safe and secure environment, advancing human rights and gender equality as well as capacity-building of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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