European border surveillance system (Eurosur)

To improve integrated border management and to prevent cross-border crime and illegal immigration, the European Union (EU) created the European border surveillance system (Eurosur).

ACT

Regulation (EU) No 1052/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2013 establishing the European border surveillance system (Eurosur).

SUMMARY

In October 2013, the EU adopted a regulation establishing the European border surveillance system (Eurosur).

Multi-purpose system

Eurosur is a multi-purpose system to prevent illegal immigration and cross-border crime at the external borders. It will also contribute to ensuring the protection and saving the lives of migrants trying to reach European shores.

It provides a mechanism allowing border surveillance agencies to rapidly exchange information and work together. By means of national coordination centres, all EU countries’ national authorities responsible for border surveillance (e.g. border guards, police, coastguard, navy, etc.) must coordinate their activities with those of other EU countries and the EU border agency, Frontex.

Faster responses thanks to better information

Eurosur follows an intelligence-driven approach, allowing national and EU agencies to better understand what is happening at external borders and to respond faster to new routes and methods used by criminal networks.

Rapid reaction capability

Eurosur enables EU countries to react faster not only to single incidents, but also to critical situations occurring at EU external borders. For this purpose, the external land and sea borders have been divided into ‘border sections’ and they have each been assigned a low, medium or high ‘impact level’. This allows hotspots at the external borders to be identified, with a standardised reaction at national level and at EU level, if required.

Fundamental rights

EU countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement and Frontex must fully respect fundamental rights, in particular the non-refoulement principle (which forbids a true victim of persecution being returned to their persecutor) and personal data protection.

Entry into force

As of December 2013, Eurosur was operational in the 19 EU countries that signed the Schengen Agreement that have southern and eastern external borders. The remaining 11 Schengen countries joined Eurosur on 1 December 2014.

Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom (1) did not take part in the adoption of this regulation. However, it was agreed that Ireland and the United Kingdom (1) could cooperate with Eurosur by means of regional networks. Denmark has since decided to participate in Eurosur.

last update 22.04.2014

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(1) The United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union and becomes a third country (non-EU country) as of 1 February 2020.