EU warns deployment of FRRONEX for border control in Serbia

Serbia is located on the so-called Balkan Route”, which, despite sieges, surveillance cameras and joint border patrols, is the second most active route of migrants, according to FRONTEX reports.

The EU has announced that the Council has adopted this decision Thursday in Brussels.

The agreement will enable the EU and Serbia to organise joint operations that would include FRONTEX and Serbia's border guard. That, too, means that the FRONTEX border management teams can be deployed in Serbia. They will help Serbia manage migration waves, act against illegal immigration and fight cross-border crimes”, the EU Council's report said.

The EU has already had a co-operation agreement with Serbia on this issue, but it enabled FRONEX's actions only at the borders of EU countries with Serbia. The new agreement will enable the deployment of FRONTEX within Serbia's territory.

FRRONEX is the EU agency responsible for implementing integrated European border management, effective functioning of border control at EU external borders in co-ordination with the national authorities of EU member states and Schengen countries (Icelandic, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway).

The agency is responsible for border management, internal security within the EU and migration management, including an effective return policy, preserving the free movement of persons within the union and full respect of fundamental rights.

 

The European Union already has such agreements with several neighbouring countries, such as Moldova, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania.

For the European Union agreements with neighbouring countries to enable FRONTEX to act on their territory, have been identified as necessary to prevent them from being a transitary route to massive illegal immigration to EU countries.

The so-called “Balkan Route” followed by migrants continues to be disturbing for the EU, which aims to reduce the number of illegal immigrants passing through it towards the EU.

Due to the large number of illegal immigrants passing through the Western Balkans, Slovenia has suspended implementation of Schengen's rules on the border with Croatia and has placed border controls at that crossing point.

In co-operation with the FRRONEX, the EU expects countries in the region to adjust and EU visa policy for citizens of third countries. This is aimed at preventing the easy introduction of visa-free immigrants to some Western Balkan country and illegal access to EU countries, such as Croatia or Hungary.

The EU expects Western Balkan countries to co-operate in joint immigration management, as their citizens enjoy the possibility of visa-free movement in the bloc's countries. /REL/