BOMCA grew out of the Central Asia Border Service Initiative (CABSI) of the Austrian Government, supported by several of the EU Member States.  The CABSI focus on training was broadened to include legal assistance and strengthening of border control.

The EC BOMCA Programme is divided into a number of distinct phases:

• The first phase of BOMCA (April-August 2003) undertook an initial assessment of border guard capacities in Central Asia
• The second phase of BOMCA (July-December 2003) launched the first phase of training for border guard officers.  The project developed training modules, identified border management contact points, implemented train-the-trainer sessions in Vienna and a regional training in modern border management in Central Asia
• The third phase of BOMCA was implemented from December 2003 to July 2004. This phase permitted to assess the current situation in the envisaged sector of intervention and to establish the implementing capacity
• BOMCA Phase 4 (completed as of December 31, 2007) and Phase 5 (to be completed as of December 31, 2008) represent the major roll-out of activities foreseen in the assessment phases (1-3): assistance to legal and institutional reform, strengthening of national training capacities, and infrastructure, equipment and training provision at pilot sites – airports, seaports and land borders
• The sixth phase of BOMCA is ongoing in 2008 and is to be completed by the end of September 2009. This phase provides for: institutional reform in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan; strengthening training capacities in Central Asia; strengthening infrastructure capacities along trade and transit corridors in Central Asia; assisting Tajikistan in securing the Tajik-Afghan border in Gorno-Badakhshan
• The seventh phase of BOMCA is planned to be launched 1 January 2009 and to cover 2009- 2010. BOMCA 7 will continue to promote the concept of IBM encompassing: institutional reform in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan; capacity building in agencies with border responsibilities; trade facilitation; and the fight against illegal drug trafficking.