Eastern Borders Risk Analysis Network Annual Overview 2011

Frontex created in August of 2008 a concept of Eastern Borders Conference (EBC).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 FRAN (Frontex Risk Analysis Network) representatives and the relevant neighbouring third countries. By 2009 Frontex signed Working Arrangements (WA) 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 of information and joint analytical activities). When proposing to set up EB RAN, Frontex also proposed to draft a joint risk analysis each year, based in part on monthly statistical information exchange. However, the monthly statistical data exchange between Frontex and the EB-RAN countries had not yet been fully established at the time. This in turn made drafting of a joint annual analysis impossible. Nevertheless, an Annual Overview covering 2009 was delivered by Frontex in November 2010. By 4 June 2011, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine provided monthly statistical data for 2010. As this data still have not provided enough information for a joint annual analysis, the following document is to be considered as the second EB-RAN Annual Overview.