Connect with us

Albania

#EuropeanBorderAndCoastGuard - First agreement with a non EU country on border co-operation becomes operational

SHARE:

Published

7 years ago

on

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

On 1 May, the agreement on border co-operation between the European Border and Coast Guard and Albania became operational. This is the first agreement on operational cooperation to be signed with a neighbouring non-EU country, and also the first such agreement with an EU partner from the Western Balkans, to enter force since the launch of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

The agreement will allow the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to carry out joint operations and deploy teams at the borders shared by Albania and the EU to help tackle irregular migration, especially in case of sudden changes in migratory flows, and cross border crime, in agreement with the Albanian authorities and the authorities of those EU member states bordering the area of operations.

The first European Border and Coast Guard teams are scheduled to be deployed at the Albanian border with Greece at the end of May.

Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said: "The agreement with Albania – the first of this kind with a third country – is a milestone in the EU's external cooperation on border management. We will now be able to better respond to potential migratory challenges, together. I hope it will pave the way for greater cooperation with the whole Western Balkan region. Albania has shown great commitment when it comes to cooperating on migration and border management.”

Similar agreements are being finalized with North Macedonia (July 2018), Serbia (September 2018), Bosnia and Herzegovina (January 2019) and Montenegro (February 2019). Earlier this year, the European Parliament and the Council agreed to reinforce the mandate of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, including on cooperation with partner countries beyond the EU's immediate neighbourhood.

Share this article:

Share this:
Related Topics:
EU Reporter publishes articles from a variety of outside sources which express a wide range of viewpoints. The positions taken in these articles are not necessarily those of EU Reporter. Please see EU Reporter’s full Terms and Conditions of publication for more information EU Reporter embraces artificial intelligence as a tool to enhance journalistic quality, efficiency, and accessibility, while maintaining strict human editorial oversight, ethical standards, and transparency in all AI-assisted content. Please see EU Reporter’s full A.I. Policy for more information.
Advertisement

Trending