EU Commission to Further Strengthen Border Management & Expedite Returns

The European Commission has adopted new initiatives in order to strengthen European integrated border management and also expedite returns.

Through a statement, the Commission has revealed that this is the first-ever multiannual strategic policy cycle on European integrated border management in the following five years, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

It has been estimated that this is a result of the ongoing consultation process between institutions, thus leading to a common vision regarding EU external border management.

The Commission notes that the new initiative provides a coordinated framework for all national authorities managing the border, and for more than 120,000 officers of national border authorities as well as Frontex.

The European Council last month emphasized the importance of ensuring effective control of the European Union’s external borders as part of a comprehensive approach to migration.

It stressed that the border controls would be supported through large-scale IT as well as inter-agency cooperation in order further to enhance migration governance as well as crisis preparedness.

In addition, the Commission confirmed that this would be ensured by using state-of-the-art infrastructure, effective surveillance, including cameras and drones, and efficient implementation of the EUROSUR, the European Border Surveillance System.

The Commission also stressed that the European Union information systems designed to manage external borders (Visa Information System, European Travel Information and Authorisation System, Schengen Information System, and Entry-Exit System) would further ease the border crossing process.

It has been estimated that the tightening of cooperation among all authorities at the national as well as EU levels is the key to detecting better understanding and responding to the challenges at the European Union’s external borders.

“Search and rescue are a key component of the European integrated border management. As a priority, the need for coordination is a priority between a flag and coastal states, and the need to develop best practices on timely and full information sharing,” the statement reads.

The Commission has considered that cooperation with third countries should be strengthened while noting that protecting the EU’s frontiers must be done in total respect of fundamental rights.

The Commission said that the actions of the European Union and national actors should be carried out in complete compliance with EU law, taking into account the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and international law, taking into account effective monitoring mechanisms.

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