The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has established the Interdepartmental Working Group on Coordination of Integrated Border Management. Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze was appointed its Chair.

The group also included the Head of the State Border Guard Service, the Head of the State Fiscal Service, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Finance, the State Migration Service and others.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, commenting on the decision to establish a group, explained that integrated border management involves coordinating the activities of the competent authorities of the countries whose tasks include ensuring security and openness of the state border, border crossing procedures for clearance of persons, transport and goods, conducting information and tracking activities, risk analysis and carrying out preventive measures. "Creating of a well-coordinated integrated border management system will enable for reducing the time of crossing the border, because all necessary inspections will be faster, and the level of security control will only increase. For many EU Member States, integrated border management was a prerequisite for joining the Schengen area, which envisages joining the Schengen Convention, which sets out measures and guarantees for the introduction of freedom of movement. In the end, the realization of these objectives will considerably increase the comfort of citizens when crossing borders and passing customs procedures", said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Background

The interagency working group, in accordance with its tasks, will, in particular, conduct an analysis of the effectiveness of the measures and causes of problems in the process of implementing the state policy in the field of integrated border management. The group will also study the results of the activities of central and local executive authorities, local authorities, enterprises, institutions and organizations on matters within its competence; will conduct an analysis of reports on the progress of implementation of the tasks, entrusted to them, by the authorities on the execution of conceptual and planning documents on integrated border management.

The objectives of the working group also include to participate in the development of a draft integrated border management strategy, which will determine the state of affairs, the range of subjects, the main directions and tasks for interagency and international cooperation in the implementation of state policy in the field of integrated border management. The group will also inform the public on the state of implementation of measures to ensure the pursuing of state policy in this area.

This body was established with the participation of experts from the international project TWINNING, the European Union Advisory Mission on the reform of the civil security sector of Ukraine (EUAM), and taking into account the best international practices and recommendations of the European Union Delegation in Ukraine.

The setting up of this coordinating body is considered by European institutions as one of Ukraine's key steps in the context of the implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU, as well as a key criterion for international support for integrated border management.