Right from its creation in 1991, BBI has focused on project development and implementation outside the EU, in various countries undergoing change in the public administration and public policies design and implementation. The original technical focus was on social protection reforms but throughout the years, other public sector policies such as employment and health care and to some extent also education and vocational education and training, came into our remit. BBI has provided technical assistance, advice and consultancy including management, training and communication to governments and public administration in Central and Eastern Europe, South-East Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus, China, the Middle East and Northern Africa. A main focus was laid on the exchange of practices and know-how with the countries during the accession process. Accompanying governments in EU partner countries during the accession remains one of our key specialisations

Within the (enlarging) EU, BBI has also built a strong track record in working for the European, national and regional governments, in particular in the social and employment domain. BBI has built a considerable track record in EU wide technical studies, evaluations, the creation of networks and the execution of communication projects for the EC DG Employment and Social Affairs. BBI has worked on European Social Fund evaluations and reports and BBI currently manages the MISSOC secretariat which links 31 national Ministries in charge of social security information exchange. BBI also performs various EU communication campaigns and networking activities across Europe under the EC DG Employment PROGRESS programme. At EU level, BBI has furthermore worked for the EU Social Partners and with other EU umbrella organisations of civil society. BBI currently holds a framework contract with the European Parliament on the implementation of impact studies in the area of social protection.

BBI aimed over the years to respond to the need of transmitting the EU message into national and local policies and strategies but also vice versa, to ventilate local concerns and civil society aspirations at the policy making levels. Bridging old, new and future Member States as well as EU and local policy levels remain the key objectives we are trying to contribute to.