Eastern Borders Annual Overview 2012

The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) created the concept of the Eastern Borders Conference (EBC) in August 2008. The EBC was designed as a regular activity/forum where specific challenges related to irregular migration at the eastern borders of the EU could be addressed by representatives of FRAN (Frontex Risk Analysis Network) and the relevant neighbouring third countries. By 2009 Frontex had signed cooperation arrangements with Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Moldova and Belarus. Subsequently, Frontex proposed to set up a permanent Eastern Borders Risk Analysis Network (EB-RAN), to be comprised of the competent Border Control Authorities from the mentioned four countries and the Risk Analysis Unit of Frontex. Additional agreements were later signed allowing for the establishment of regular information exchange and joint analytical activities: with Moldova in March 2009 (Cooperation Plan), with Ukraine in November 2010 (Mechanism on information exchange for risk analysis cooperation) and with Belarus in November 2010 (Memorandum on regular exchange information and joint analytical activities). The Russian Federation opted to stay out of the EB-RAN information exchange.