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The Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina has sent a letter of intent to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for full membership, aiming to create conditions for better functioning and faster development of hydro-meteorological institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This would enable them to better fulfil legal obligations in meteorological monitoring, the short-term and long-term weather forecasting, and warning of extreme weather events. All of this should result in better preparedness for extreme weather conditions to reduce the damages they can cause.

The European Centre focuses on preventing the consequences of disasters through early warnings, which is of vital importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, facing an increased frequency of such events.

Furthermore, joining the ECMWF will provide Bosnia and Herzegovina access to European meteorological infrastructure, including EUMETNET and EUMETSAT, further enhancing cooperation and information exchange within the meteorological community.

Activities related to Bosnia and Herzegovina's accession to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts have been coordinated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, with the consent and agreement of the Republic Hydro-Meteorological Institute of Republika Srpska and the Federal Hydro-Meteorological Institute. It is expected that at the ECMWF Council meeting, to be held in June 2024, it will be decided whether Bosnia and Herzegovina meets all the requirements for membership.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is known for producing global numerical weather forecasts from current conditions up to one year ahead, including detailed forecasts of atmospheric composition, including greenhouse gases, air pollutants, volcanic ash, and ocean wave forecasts.

Considering the above, joining the ECMWF represents an important step towards improving the hydro-meteorological service and preparing for future extreme weather events in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so the Ministry of Civil Affairs will continue to coordinate activities to achieve membership.