Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine

The European Union mission in the Republic of Moldova and the Ukraine aims to help the two States to modernise their shared border control and to thus contribute to a peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.

ACT

Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission, the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of Ukraine of 7 October 2005 on the European Union Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and to Ukraine.

SUMMARY

The European Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, called "EUBAM", forms part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Moldovan Government, the Ukrainian Government and the European Commission, which was signed on 7 October 2005. It forms part of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The Mission aims to improve the auditing and control of cargo and passenger traffic between the two countries. More specifically, the Mission must contribute to combating human trafficking, the smuggling of goods, arms trafficking and corruption.

Thus EUBAM must assist the Republic of Moldova and the Ukraine to increase their customs revenue, to create the necessary conditions for their trade agreements to be properly implemented and help to improve cooperation between the two countries on exchanging customs information and coordinating controls.

The Mission, which is composed of more than 200 people, around 100 of which are experts from 22 European Union Member States, audits border control procedures and provides technical advice to border guards and the customs administrations of the two States. It is also involved in equipment provision and training. The EUBAM Headquarters are located in Odessa and the mission has six field offices. The Mission has been allocated a budget of EUR 24 million for the years 2008 and 2009.

The EUBAM teams work closely with those of the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Republic of Moldova. Improving the efficiency of joint border control between Moldova and the Ukraine is one of the Representative’s objectives as set out in his mandate (Joint Action 2005/265/CFSP - consolidated version in pdf).

Context

In a joint letter dated 2 June 2005, the Presidents of the Ukraine and Moldova requested the assistance of the European Union to establish international customs control on the Transnistrian section of the border between their two countries, as well as a system of border surveillance for this section.

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) approved the deployment of a Mission on 20 September 2005. The Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and the Moldovan and Ukrainian governments was signed on 7 October 2005. The Mission was officially launched on 30 November 2005 and has been extended until the end of November 2009.

EUBAM meets the objectives defined in the Action Plans for Moldova and the Ukraine in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Furthermore, in 2005 the Council appointed a European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Moldova, whose mandate is, in particular, to contribute to a settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and the improvement of joint border control between the Republic of Moldova and the Ukraine.

See also

For further information, please visit:

• the EUBAM website;
• the Council’s website dedicated to the Mission;
• The web pages of theEuropean External Action Service dedicated to the Republic of Moldova and the Ukraine.

Last updated: 19.09.2008