Despite the limitations associated with the pandemic, last year there were achieved positive results in 51 indicators of the Action Plan for 2020-2022 for the implementation of the Strategy of Integrated Border Management for the period up to 2025. Another 28 indicators are seeing implementation. According to the Plan, Ukraine was to implement 46 tasks in 2020 and achieve 79 indicators.

The aforesaid issues were the topics for the discussion at a meeting on April 6 of the interdepartmental working group on coordination of integrated border management chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna.

"Indicators of the implementation of the Integrated Border Management Strategy are especially important for the preparation of a report on the implementation of conditions of the visa-free regime with the EU," stressed Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna.

Among the implemented tasks, the participants of the interdepartmental working group named:

• approval of resolutions on the functioning of authorized economic operators and the application of customs declarations;
• approval of instructions on the organization of mutual exchange of information on the air situation between the Armed Forces, the State Border Guard Service and the National Guards;
• improving the coherence of the actions of the participants of integrated border management through 85 joint training activities, including through participation in international exercises Sea Breeze, River Rhine and Rapid Trident;
• carrying out a number of measures to modernize the State Border Guard Service and strengthen border protection;
• conducting a joint analysis of border security threats with the border agencies of neighboring and partner countries, as well as with the European Agency FRONTEX;
• and other activities.

The Deputy Prime Minister drew the attention of the participants of the interdepartmental working group to the need to intensify efforts to build and modernize checkpoints across the state border to deepen Ukraine's integration with the EU. In this context, the implementation of the Action Plan for the construction of priority checkpoints for 2021-2023 is critical.

"Effective control at border checkpoints is important to boost exports of Ukrainian products. Currently, the European Union is one of our main trading partners, so building an effective customs infrastructure on the border with the EU is a key element of linking Ukraine with the United Europe," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

The participants of the meeting also discussed the necessary steps to intensify the introduction of joint border and customs control with Slovakia and Hungary.

Background 

The EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine (EU4IBM) project supports the Ukrainian authorities in implementing reforms that bring the national border management system closer to the standards and best practices of the European Union in the framework of the Integrated Border Management Strategy of Ukraine. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). Implementation period is December 2019 - June 2022.