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Annual Report 1 December 2011 - 30 November 2012

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Annual Report 1 December 2011 - 30 November 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 1 DECEMBER 2011 - 30 NOVEMBER 2012 EUROPEAN UNION BORDER ASSISTANCE MISSION TO MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE EUBAM’s Area of Operations Annual Report 1 December 2011 - 30 November 2012 1 Content 3 Foreword 4 Views of EUBAM partners 6 Mission Overview 7 Advisory Board Meetings EUBAM Specifi c Objectives and 9 Progress towards Expected Results 1. To enhance border management (Specifi c Objective 1, SO 1) ...............................................9 2. To contribute to the settlement of the confl ict in Transnistria (SO 2) ................................15 3. Capacity building (SO 3) ....................................................................................................................16 4. Prevention and fi ghting of trans-national organised crime and cross-border crime (SO 4) ..........................................................................................................22 5. Trade facilitation, trade policy and customs procedures (SO 5) ............................................26 6. Good governance and support to anti-corruption eff orts (SO 6) ..........................................28 31 Cooperation with Stakeholders High-level visits ..........................................................................................................................................32 33 External satisfaction survey Organisational structure of EUBAM 34 Phase 9 (2012-13) Annex I: Security situation on the 35 Moldova-Ukraine border, 2012 37 Annex II: EUBAM awareness survey 2012 40 Annex III: Training in Phase 9 (2011-12) 45 Annex IV: Training statistics 2006-2012 46 List of abbreviations 2 European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine Annual Report 1 December 2011 - 30 November 2012 3 Foreword he main driving force behind the achievements The year 2012 was a very special of the European Union Border Assistance Mission one for our Ukrainian partners, T to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) has been the who hosted the UEFA EURO 2012 EUBAM team itself, which has evolved considerably since Football Championship, which the Mission’s establishment on 30 November 2005. Then, really put Ukraine in the spotlight the Mission focused on border-monitoring activities, and for the month of June, and for staff composition was mostly seconded. But in order to the fi nal match in Kiev on 1 July. implement the mandate as stipulated in the Memorandum The championship was a huge of Understanding, in 2009 EUBAM increased its core staff success, and EUBAM made its and reduced its use of short-term experts. own contribution leading up to the event by conducting several Only a permanent team of knowledgeable and updated operational, capacity-building and professionals can provide strategic advice and solutions public-communication initiatives towards the partner services’ reform processes and in order to support our partners’ European Union standards. Today, EUBAM has such preparations. a team in place, and they are well respected by the partner services. This philosophy of professionalism Looking forward, EUBAM will continue to off er technical and sustainability is also refl ected in the strong working advice in key border-management areas as our partners relationships the Mission has developed with EU step up their reform agendas, including the Integrated Member State law-enforcement agencies – ensuring that Border Management (IBM) and visa liberalization actions coherence, partnership and cooperation is maintained plans, and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas both at the pan-European and Moldova-Ukraine cross- process. Reform is already underway, and nowhere was border levels. this more evident than in the transformation of the Border-Guard Service of the Republic of Moldova into That is why today we are able to report on last year’s the Border Police Department of the Ministry of Internal 10th Joint Border Control Operation (JBCO), the eff ective Aff airs on 1 July 2012. elaboration of the Common Border Security Assessment Report (CBSAR), and our assistance to the partner As we move to the second part of Phase 9, it is European services in developing their national legislation in line Union standards in border management that remain the with EU standards. We should not forget that EUBAM was benchmark for our partners on both sides of the Moldova- established in order to contribute to the settlement of the Ukraine border. Transnistrian issue. In line with another of the Mission’s core values – that of neutrality – EUBAM provided technical advice as part of the confi dence-building process and can Udo Burkholder report some notable achievements in this sensitive area. Head of EUBAM During 2012, successes that I feel the Mission can be particularly proud of include the trilateral process and subsequent training initiative organised for customs representatives from Chisinau and Tiraspol, which brought the two parties together for the fi rst time since 2001. The Jointly Operated Border Crossing Point (JOBCP) at Rossoshany-Briceni that EUBAM has supported from the very beginning got off the ground in February 2012, and a er six months reported reductions in border-crossing times of up to 20%. 4 European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine Views of EUBAM partners Border Police Department of the Ministry of in the whole territory of the country in order to fi ght against illegal Internal Aff airs of the Republic of Moldova migration and cross-border crime. A lot of attention has been paid to strengthening cooperation Reform of the border management system in the Republic of with border agencies of the neighbouring countries on state border Moldova was initiated simultaneously with the beginning of visa- surveillance and control. Joint patrolling of the Moldova-Ukraine liberalization process in January 2011, as well as with reforms border started on 29 June 2012, and the results of it can be in the areas of justice and internal aff airs. Action plans on visa- assessed quite positively. regime liberalization for Eastern Partnership countries are divided On February 21, 2012, at Rossoshany-Briceni BCP, the pilot project into two phases. Within the framework of the fi rst phase the on joint control of border guard and customs authorities of the Republic of Moldova has to introduce necessary changes in the neighbouring state started. The practice will be rolled out to other existing legislation. border crossing points on the Moldova-Ukraine border in future. For this purpose the corresponding regulatory framework was The effi cient counteraction of illegal activities depends on formed, as well as for implementation of Integrated Border organisation of joint operations at the national and international Management System and reformation of border management levels, which is organised by EUBAM and Frontex. Close cooperation system. Active facilitation was provided by EUBAM experts. started between representatives of risk analysis departments of Within the framework of the second stage of visa liberalization border agencies of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Finally, and reform of the border management system the main task is the Eastern Partnership ‘Integrated Border Management Flagship to ensure proper realization of adopted legislative changes in Initiative Training Project’ is also being realised, and the process practice. The process of structural optimization of the Border of launching infrastructure projects on cross-border cooperation Police, increase in the quality of services provided to citizens, and (Ukraine-Romania-Moldova) is ongoing. effi ciency of service activities, is being actively implemented. Enhancement of state border control and surveillance has been Dorin Purice realised. Together with EUBAM experts the concept of mobile Head of the Border Police Department of the Ministry units’ activities has been elaborated. It stipulates their activities of Internal Aff airs of the Republic of Moldova State Border Guard Service of Ukraine also like to mention the active joint work on improvement of mobile units’ activities in accordance with the concept of their development In 2012, cooperation of the State Border Guard Service of up to 2013. Practical assistance was provided in improvement of the Ukraine with EUBAM focused on the implementation of the training system, the leadership course for managers was elaborated, Integrated Border Management concept, on EURO 2012, as well and a range of trainings and study visits were conducted. as the visa liberalization action plan. In conclusion, I can say that due to the cooperation of the State At the same time mutually benefi cial information exchange Border Guard Service of Ukraine and EUBAM, the level of protection between law-enforcement bodies of Ukraine and Moldova on of the state border of Ukraine and security of border crossing by illegal activities at the border was conducted, and the risk analysis citizens at border crossing points has increased. I believe that system was implemented. Joint patrolling of the Moldova-Ukraine implementation of plans in 2013 will allow us to bring the degree of border was coordinated, and joint control at Rossoshany-Briceni security at the Moldova-Ukraine border to an even higher level. BCP was implemented. Joint operation at the Moldova-Ukraine border was successfully General of the Army Dr Mykola Lytvyn conducted during the preparation and holding of EURO 2012. I would Chairman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Annual Report 1 December 2011 - 30 November 2012 5 Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova
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