Supporting human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina through constitutional justice

At a glance

This action aims to strengthen the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a key guarantor of constitutional rights, the rule of law and the effective implementation of European human rights standards. It focuses on enhancing the Court’s institutional effectiveness, improving access to constitutional remedies, and supporting the enforcement of its decisions.

It addresses persistent challenges affecting the Court’s functioning and the implementation of its case law by strengthening institutional co-operation, enhancing the capacities of legal professionals, and reinforcing the Court’s institutional, technical and human resources.

Funding

This project is implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2026-2029 and is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe (90% funded by the European Union, 10% by the Council of Europe).

Duration

25 May 2026 - 24 May 2029

What are the goals and objectives of the action?

The action aims to ensure the effective protection of constitutional rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, improving the implementation of Constitutional Court decisions, strengthening capacities of legal professionals and promoting the consistent application of European human rights standards.

In particular, the project supports:

Improved enforcement of the Constitutional Court decisions strengthening communication and dialogue among judicial, legislative and administrative institutions responsible for their implementation;
Enhanced capacity of lawyers, judges and law students to effectively use constitutional remedies in the protection of individual rights;
Increase the accessibility, transparency and public understanding of constitutional justice in order to strengthen trust in the Constitutional Court and;
Promote greater consistency in judicial practice and the application of Constitutional Court and European human right case law across the judicial system.

Who benefits from the action?

The action is implemented in close co-operation with the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bar Associations of the Federation of Bosnia and Republika Srpska, judicial institutions, public authorities, and academic partners across the country.

The main target groups include:

Judges, legal advisors, and other staff of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Judges and prosecutors in Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels;
Legal professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Academia and law students;
Media and civil society organisations.

To some extent this includes representative of legislative bodies, ministries of justice, line ministries, administrative bodies and the judiciary with the enforcement of judgements of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How does the action work?

The project is implemented by the Council of Europe in partnership with European Union and in a close co-operation with a broad network of legal professionals and institutional stakeholders.

It operates through:

Providing expertise and practical support to the Constitutional Court, including support for strategic reform, human resources development and better monitoring of the implementation of its decisions;
Organising round tables, judicial dialogues meetings, study visits and peer exchanges with domestic and regional institutions, the European Court of Human Rights and other European constitutional courts;
Developing and delivering training programs, practical guides and tools for judges, legal advisors, lawyers, and law students, including training on constitutional applications and the admissibility criteria;
Modernising the Constitutional Court’s working tools through digitalization, IT equipment, translation software, case law and document management systems, communication activities, and the refurbishment of the library and archives.

What do we expect to achieve?

As a result of the action, we expect to strengthen constitutional justice and human rights protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina by making the Constitutional Court more effective, accessible and capable of fulfilling its mandate.

In the long term, the project is expected to contribute to a more effective judicial system, a stronger rule of law, a greater compliance with European human rights standards and an increased public confidence in democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.