52007DC0247

[pic] | KOMISIA EURÓPSKYCH SPOLOČENSTIEV |

Brusel, 16.5.2007

KOM(2007) 247 v konečnom znení

OZNÁMENIE KOMISIE EURÓPSKEMU PARLAMENTU, RADE, EURÓPSKEMU HOSPODÁRSKEMU A SOCIÁLNEMU VÝBORU A VÝBORU REGIÓNOV

Uplatňovanie globálneho prístupu k migrácii do východných a juhovýchodných oblastí susediacich s Európskou úniou

OBSAH

1. Úvod 3

2. Krajiny vo východných a juhovýchodných oblastiach susediacich s EÚ 4

2.1. Turecko a západný Balkán 5

2.1.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg 5

2.1.2. Odporúčania 6

2.2. Partnerské krajiny európskej susedskej politiky vo východnej Európe a na južnom Kaukaze 7

2.2.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg 7

2.2.2. Odporúčania 8

2.3. Ruská federácia 10

2.3.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg 10

2.3.2. Odporúčania 10

3. Ďalšie oblasti 11

3.1. Partnerské krajiny ESP z východného Stredomoria (Sýria, Libanon a Jordánsko) a iné krajiny Stredného východu (Irán a Irak) 11

3.1.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg 11

3.1.2. Odporúčania 11

3.2. Stredná Ázia 12

3.2.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg 12

3.2.2. Odporúčania 12

3.3. Ázijské krajiny pôvodu 12

3.3.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg 12

3.3.2. Odporúčania 13

4. Zlepšenie koordinácie 14

5. Záver 15

Príloha I: Skratky a glosár 17

Príloha II: Príklady spolupráce s EÚ a pomoc krajinám, na ktoré sa vzťahuje oznámenie 20

Príloha III: Prehľad o situácii v oblasti migrácie a o migračných tokoch z východných a juhovýchodných oblastí susediacich s EÚ a v týchto oblastiach a štatistika 72

Uplatňovanie globálneho prístupu k migrácii do východných a juhovýchodných oblastí susediacich s Európskou úniou

1. ÚVOD

Európska rada prijala v decembri 2005 dokument Globálny prístup k migrácii. Spočiatku sa zameriaval na Afriku a stredomorskú oblasť. Európska rada vo svojich záveroch z decembra 2006[1] vyzvala Komisiu, „aby vypracovala návrhy na posilnený dialóg a konkrétne opatrenia“, pokiaľ ide o uplatňovanie globálneho prístupu k východným a juhovýchodným oblastiam susediacim s EÚ. Toto oznámenie je odpoveďou na uvedenú výzvu. Je v ňom navrhnutý prístup založený na koncepte „migračných ciest“ (pozri glosár všetkých termínov použitých v tomto texte a vysvetlenie skratiek v prílohe I).

Toto oznámenie sa zameriava najmä na východné a juhovýchodné oblasti susediace s EÚ, ktoré podľa názoru Komisie zahŕňajú:

Turecko, západný Balkán (Albánsko, Bosnu a Hercegovinu, Chorvátsko, bývalú Juhoslovanskú republiku Macedónsko, Čiernu Horu a Srbsko, vrátane Kosova[2]); partnerské krajiny európskej susedskej politiky (ESP) vo východnej Európe (Ukrajinu, Moldavsko a Bielorusko[3]) a južný Kaukaz (Arménsko, Azerbajdžan a Gruzínsko); a Ruskú federáciu.

Pri implementácii tohto oznámenia by sa mali v prvom rade posúdiť odporúčania, ktoré sa priamo týkajú týchto krajín. Uplatňovanie globálneho prístupu na východné a juhovýchodné oblasti susediace s EÚ podľa konceptu „migračných ciest“ si však vyžaduje aj posúdiť krajiny pôvodu a tranzitu ďalej v cudzine. Pozornosť sa musí preto venovať aj týmto krajinám:

Partnerským krajinám ESP zo Stredného východu (Sýria, Jordánsko a Libanon), Irán a Irak; krajinám strednej Ázie (Kazachstan, Kirgizsko, Tadžikistan, Turkmenistan a Uzbekistan); a ázijským krajinám pôvodu, napríklad, Číne, Indii, Pakistanu, Afganistanu, Bangladéšu, Srí Lanke, Vietnamu, Filipínam a Indonézii.

V tomto oznámení sú uvedené strednodobé až dlhodobé odporúčania týkajúce sa týchto krajín a oblastí.

So všetkými týmito uvedenými krajinami má Spoločenstvo zavedený inštitucionálny rámec, v rámci ktorého bol vytvorený politický a hospodársky dialóg a vzťahy v oblasti spolupráce a ktorý spravidla zahŕňa oblasť migrácie. Tieto rámce boli v tomto oznámení zohľadnené pre každú skupinu krajín. V niektorých prípadoch sú už dialóg a spolupráca v oblasti migrácie a súvisiacich oblastiach (napríklad, zamestnanosť a vzdelávanie) veľmi rozvinuté. Akékoľvek potenciálne posilnenie dialógu a spolupráce v oblasti migrácie by malo byť postavené na existujúcom dialógu a spolupráci pri úplnej integrácii súvisiacich otázok a aktérov, najmä v oblasti pracovnej migrácie. V prílohe II je uvedený orientačný zoznam mnohých prebiehajúcich projektov spolupráce v oblasti migrácie, víz a hraničnej kontroly, ktoré sú v týchto krajinách financované ES, a je dôležité, že takáto spolupráca sa naďalej vyzdvihuje a zviditeľňuje.

Pri uplatňovaní globálneho prístupu sa vyžaduje komplexná analýza legálnych a nelegálnych pohybov, celosvetového dopytu po pracovných silách a ponuky pracovných síl, pracovnej migrácie a riadenia hospodárskej migrácie a potreba medzinárodnej ochrany. Je potrebné preskúmať aj migračné toky, trendy a potenciálne zmeny ciest. V prílohe III sú z tohto hľadiska uvedené niektoré predbežné závery týkajúce sa tejto oblasti, ako aj rôzne súbory štatistických údajov. Význam tohto regiónu pre EÚ je už jasný. Približne jedna tretina všetkých štátnych príslušníkov tretích krajín žijúcich v EÚ sú štátnymi príslušníkmi krajín susediacich s EÚ na východe a juhovýchode a Ruskej federácie. Rozšírenie EÚ smerom na východ v rokoch 2004 a 2007 zmenilo právny základ cezhraničného dochádzania a migrácie pre mnoho krajín susediacich s EÚ, pričom prínosy členstva v EÚ, ktoré sa prenášajú do vysokého hospodárskeho rastu a pracovných príležitostí, robia z nových členských štátov príťažlivejšie miesto pre migráciu z krajín, ktoré s nimi susedia na východe. Susediace krajiny pociťujú dôsledky prílevu aj úniku mozgov a čisté prínosy pomáhajú zmierniť tlaky v zmysle vysokej nezamestnanosti a nízkeho príjmu, ktoré často vyplývajú z problémov politického a hospodárskeho prechodu.

Je nutné poznamenať, že v kontexte globálneho prístupu k migrácii sa pozornosť nevenovala Latinskej Amerike a Karibiku, hoci migrácia je súčasťou pravidelného politického dialógu s týmto regiónom. Vzhľadom na rastúci význam problémov súvisiacich s migráciou z krajín Latinskej Ameriky a Karibiku sa Komisia bude dodatočne zaoberať otázkou migrácie so svojimi partnermi počas prípravy nasledujúceho samitu EÚ s LAK (Lima, máj 2008). To sa uskutoční spôsobom, ktorý je v súlade s globálnym prístupom a ktorý tiež povoľuje implementáciu záväzkov prijatých obidvomi stranami na Viedenskom samite v máji 2006.

2. KRAJINY VO VÝCHODNÝCH A JUHOVÝCHODNÝCH OBLASTIACH SUSEDIACICH S EÚ

Pri rozvíjaní globálneho prístupu s africkými krajinami sa pri zapájaní partnerských krajín ukázali ako užitočné rôzne nástroje, medzi ktoré patria profily migrácie a platformy spolupráce v oblasti migrácie a rozvoja (pozri prílohu I). Tieto nástroje môžu byť vhodné pri uplatňovaní globálneho prístupu k východným a juhovýchodným oblastiam. Ich využívanie sa však musí posúdiť od krajiny ku krajine a/alebo od regiónu k regiónu, najmä sa musia zohľadniť existujúce rámce a vzťahy s príslušnými krajinami a regiónmi, v ktorých by ich uplatňovanie mohlo priniesť pridanú hodnotu. Toto oznámenie by sa okrem toho malo interpretovať v súvislosti s oznámením o Okružnej migrácii a partnerstvách v oblasti mobility medzi Európskou úniou a tretími krajinami , ktoré bolo prijaté súčasne s týmto oznámením.

2.1. Turecko a západný Balkán [4]

2.1.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg

Na otázky migrácie s Tureckom – ktoré má asociačnú dohodu s EÚ od roku 1963 – sa vzťahuje prístupové partnerstvo z roku 2006.

V prípade západného Balkánu sa na otázky migrácie vzťahuje stabilizačná a asociačná dohoda (SAD), ktorá predstavuje rámec zmluvných vzťahov vytvorených alebo vytváraných s každou z krajín západného Balkánu.[5] Otázkami migrácie sa okrem toho – často podrobnejšie – zaoberajú príslušné európske alebo prístupové partnerstvá (v prípade Chorvátska a Turecka). Implementácia partnerstiev sa monitoruje najmä prostredníctvom výročných správ o dosiahnutom pokroku a stretnutí s príslušnými krajinami. O otázkach migrácie sa diskutuje v rámci každoročných stretnutí ministrov spravodlivosti s krajinami západného Balkánu.

Pokiaľ ide o kandidátske krajiny Chorvátsko, Turecko a bývalú Juhoslovanskú republiku Macedónsko, o otázkach migrácie sa dôkladne rokuje na zasadaniach príslušných podvýborov a tieto otázky sa môžu vzniesť v rámci asociačného výboru a Rady. V rámci prístupových rokovaní s Chorvátskom a Tureckom sa otázky migrácie kontrolujú a monitorujú , okrem iného , v kapitolách spravodlivosť, sloboda a bezpečnosť, ako aj v kapitolách voľný pohyb pracovníkov.

Pokiaľ ide o ostatné krajiny v danej oblasti, otázky migrácie sa riešia v rámci procesov osobitného politického poradenstva a monitorovania (poradenská pracovná skupina s Albánskom, proces monitorovania reformy v prípade Bosny a Hercegoviny, posilnený trvalý dialóg v prípade Čiernej Hory a Srbska), vrátane prostredníctvom zasadaní technickej skupiny. Pokiaľ ide o Kosovo, tieto otázky sa riešia v rámci mechanizmu na monitorovanie procesu stabilizácie a pridruženia (Stabilisation and Association Process Tracking Mechanism (STM)).

Proces spolupráce v juhovýchodnej Európe (South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP)) má stále dôležitejšiu úlohu ako fórum pre regionálnu spoluprácu v celej oblasti juhovýchodnej Európy a zahŕňa spoluprácu v oblasti spravodlivosti, slobody a bezpečnosti. SEECP je zapojený do procesu vytvárania nového regionálneho rámca, ktorý bude regionálne vlastneným nástupcom stabilizačného paktu pre juhovýchodnú Európu.

Všetky kandidátske krajiny alebo krajiny s uznanou perspektívou pristúpenia k EÚ sa už úplne zapojili do prijatia acquis EÚ. S cieľom zabezpečiť, aby tento proces napredoval bez omeškaní a aby sa medzitým lepšie riadili toky pozdĺž juhovýchodných migračných ciest, ako všeobecné priority sa navrhujú tieto oparenia.

2.1.2. Odporúčania

- Aby sa doplnil dialóg o migrácii na bilaterálnych a regionálnych fórach, vnútroštátne a subregionálne platformy spolupráce v oblasti migrácie by mohli ďalej podporovať dialóg medzi všetkými zapojenými aktérmi, čerpajúc zo skúseností iniciatívy MARRI.

- Dialóg s orgánmi kandidátskych a partnerských krajín by mal zahŕňať diskusiu o tom, ako môže rozvojový vplyv migrácie pomôcť posilniť stabilitu a podporiť rast v regióne . Mali by sa rozvinúť politiky na zabránenie úniku mozgov, medzi ktoré patrí investovanie do odbornej prípravy a budovanie kapacít na zlepšenie pracovných podmienok a na zvýšenie pracovných príležitostí, ktoré pomôžu zabrániť odchodu kvalifikovaných pracovníkov. Mali by sa ďalej analyzovať spôsoby zníženia nákladov na prevody a posilnenia ich vplyvu na rozvoj krajín v tomto regióne. Mali by sa organizovať študijné pobyty odborníkov s cieľom podporiť kontakty a stimulovať priamu spoluprácu medzi správnymi orgánmi a preskúmať inštitucionálnu kapacitu. Mohli by sa organizovať aj odborné semináre zamerané na rôzne aspekty migračného a rozvojového programu. Nakoniec, mali by sa podporovať iniciatívy zamerané na spájanie vysokokvalifikovaných migrantov, medzi ktorých patria vedeckí výskumní pracovníci, s ich krajinami pôvodu.

- Mali by sa zlepšiť možnosti okružnej migrácie pri zohľadnení existujúcich krátkodobých sezónnych cezhraničných pohybov v regióne. Okrem Chorvátska, ktoré už využíva bezvízový režim s EÚ, je potrebné, aby sa vízové režimy v regióne ďalej zlepšovali a harmonizovali s cieľom umožniť pohyb pracovných síl. Mala by sa preskúmať aj uskutočniteľnosť poskytovania širšieho spektra výmenných programov výskumným pracovníkom alebo študentom. Značná pozornosť by sa mala venovať aj zabezpečeniu primeranej prípravy migrantov na odchod v tom zmysle, aby mali reálnu predstavu o živote a pracovných príležitostiach v EÚ. V tomto procese by pomohli programy odbornej prípravy alebo osobitné programy a obsadzovanie voľných pracovných miest vhodnými kandidátmi. V tejto oblasti budú kľúčovú úlohu zohrávať migračné portály, ktoré začnú fungovať do konca roka 2007. Po zhodnotení skúseností s existujúcimi centrami pre migráciu by sa tieto mohli zopakovať. Zriadenie centier na každom ministerstve práce alebo ministerstve vnútra by pomohlo formulovať primerané politické reakcie, v ktorých sú potreby pracovných síl dobre vyvážené bezpečnostnými aspektmi migrácie. Pokiaľ ide o krátkodobé víza, implementácia dohôd Spoločenstva o zjednodušení vízového režimu, ktoré boli doteraz parafované s niektorými krajinami západného Balkánu, prispeje k zlepšeniu a zjednodušeniu postupov vydávania víz pre určité kategórie obyvateľov týchto krajín.

- Právne predpisy v oblasti azylu a ochrany utečencov by sa mali posilniť alebo doplniť tak, aby poskytovali komplexné právne záruky za práva osôb, ktoré môžu potrebovať medzinárodnú ochranu. Čierna Hora a Srbsko musia ešte uzákoniť základné právne predpisy v oblasti azylu a mali by sa vyzvať, aby tak urobili. Turecko musí ešte zmeniť a doplniť svoje hlavné právne predpisy v oblasti azylu v súlade s príslušným acquis, zabezpečiť ich účinnú implementáciu a vytvoriť administratívnu kapacitu v súlade s osvedčenými postupmi EÚ. Vo všetkých štátoch je potrebné vyvinúť ďalšie úsilie s cieľom zabezpečiť, aby sa v praxi uplatňovali primerané právne predpisy. Musí sa zintenzívniť boj proti nelegálnemu prisťahovalectvu a obchodovaniu s ľuďmi. Na dosiahnutie tohto cieľa by agentúra FRONTEX mala ďalej rozvíjať svoje existujúce vzťahy s krajinami v regióne. Partnerským krajinám by sa mala poskytovať technická pomoc, ktorá by zahŕňala ďalšiu odbornú prípravu príslušníkov hraničnej stráže a imigračných úradníkov, ako aj vypracovanie spoľahlivej štatistiky o oznámených prípadoch, pomocou nástrojov, medzi ktoré patrí nástroj predvstupovej pomoci (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)) alebo twinning a TAIEX. V rámci IPA by sa mohli podporiť aj určité opatrenia týkajúce sa hraničnej kontroly a riadenia migrácie v kandidátskych krajinách EÚ a potenciálnych kandidátskych krajinách. Musia sa implementovať dohody medzi ES a krajinami západného Balkánu o readmisii a musí sa bezodkladne uzavrieť dohoda medzi ES a Tureckom o readmisii[6].

- V oblasti boja proti organizovanému zločinu musí EÚ podporovať užšiu regionálnu multidisciplinárnu spoluprácu v oblasti presadzovania právnych predpisov, najmä prostredníctvom posilnenej spolupráce medzi Europolom a centrom SECI v Bukurešti. Z tohto hľadiska by sa malo uzatvoriť memorandum o porozumení medzi Europolom a SECI, ktoré sa bude týkať najmä obchodovania s ľuďmi, zatiaľ čo dohoda o operačnej spolupráci je dlhodobým cieľom.

2.2. Partnerské krajiny európskej susedskej politiky vo východnej Európe a na južnom Kaukaze

2.2.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg

Rámcom pre vzťahy s krajinami východnej Európy a južného Kaukazu je ESP. Hoci sú spolupráca v oblasti migrácie, vydávania víz, azylu, správy hraníc a ďalšie súvisiace hospodárske a sociálne otázky nepriamo spomenuté v dohodách o partnerstve a spolupráci (DPS), ktoré tvoria právny základ vzťahu ES s týmito krajinami, sú uvedené vo všetkých akčných plánoch ESP, ktoré boli dohodnuté s východnými partnermi. Niektoré z týchto partnerských krajín majú pre tieto otázky aj svoj vlastný vnútroštátny akčný program. V prípade Ukrajiny existuje samostatný akčný plán v oblasti spravodlivosti, slobody a bezpečnosti (JLS) – ktorý zodpovedá tej časti akčných plánov, ktoré boli dohodnuté s Arménskom, Azerbajdžanom, Gruzínskom a Moldavskom – a Komisia spolupracuje aj s Ukrajinou na základe tabuľky hodnotenia založenej na akčnom pláne v oblasti spravodlivosti, slobody a bezpečnosti, ktorý obsahuje referenčné kritériá.

O otázkach migrácie sa už podrobne diskutuje s Moldavskom a Ukrajinou v príslušných podvýboroch a o týchto otázkach sa diskutuje aj na pravidelných stretnutiach ministerskej trojky EÚ s Ukrajinou pre oblasť spravodlivosti, slobody a bezpečnosti, ako aj na zasadnutiach výboru pre spoluprácu a rady pre spoluprácu. Podobný prístup sa uplatňuje v prípade troch krajín južného Kaukazu, ktorých akčné plány boli prijaté v novembri 2006. Dialóg a spolupráca s každou krajinou napredujú rôznym tempom podľa ich schopnosti, veľkosti (osobitne dôležité v prípade Ukrajiny) a situácie. Zatiaľ čo Bielorusko je samostatným prípadom,[7] technická spolupráca v záležitostiach súvisiacich s problematikou hraníc, migráciou a organizovaným zločinom je možná na základe kontaktov na pracovnej úrovni s bieloruskými oficiálnymi predstaviteľmi a v rámci regionálneho dialógu a programov.

2.2.2. Odporúčania

Vzťahy s jednotlivými krajinami sa samozrejme líšia, ale krátkodobé priority by mali zahŕňať tieto prvky:

- Hoci potrebný rámec pre dialóg existuje na bilaterálnej úrovni už so všetkými týmito krajinami (okrem Bieloruska), je potrebné, aby sa začal skutočný dialóg o týchto otázkach s Arménskom, Azerbajdžanom a Gruzínskom v rámci ich akčných plánov ESP, zatiaľ čo v prípade Moldavska a Ukrajiny sa existujúci dialóg prehlbuje. Hoci vzťahy s Bieloruskom sú obmedzené, mali by sa nadviazať kontakty na úrovni odborníkov zamerané na otázky migrácie. Takýto dialóg je dôležitý aj pre riešenie problému xenofóbie a jej vplyvu na migráciu a integráciu.

- Na regionálnej úrovni , na ktorej sa riešia otázky migrácie a súvisiace otázky, by sa mohli čerpať skúsenosti z procesov z Söderköpingu a Budapešti. Mala by sa posilniť aj podpora zlepšenia schopnosti partnerských krajín zaobchádzať s nelegálnymi migrantmi v súlade s medzinárodnými normami. Táto podpora by sa mohla týkať starostlivosti o nelegálnych migrantov a potrieb obetí obchodovania s ľuďmi a iných ohrozených osôb, ako aj medzinárodných noriem na ochranu utečencov, v rámci ktorých majú tieto krajiny povinnosť plniť si záväzky ( okrem iného ako členovia Rady Európy), ale účinné právne predpisy, procesy a postupy v oblasti azylu a ochrany utečencov stále chýbajú. Mala by pokračovať spolupráca s príslušnými organizáciami, vrátane spolupráce v oblasti opätovného začlenenia navrátilcov.

- V oblasti podpory jednotného prístupu k migrácii má z hľadiska tranzitnej migrácie a obchodovania s ľuďmi osobitný význam čiernomorský región. Pomocou štruktúr spolupráce v oblasti Baltického mora ako zdroja inšpirácie by sa mala preskúmať realizovateľnosť vytvorenia platformy na regionálnu spoluprácu, v rámci ktorej sa spoja príslušné členské štáty EÚ, agentúry EÚ, ďalšie krajiny hraničiace s Čiernym morom a regionálne organizácie, medzi ktoré patria SECI, BSEC, Baltická osobitná skupina pre otázky organizovaného zločinu (Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (TF-OC)) a Čiernomorské fórum, v snahe lepšie riadiť migráciu. V tejto súvislosti by sa mohlo podporovať zdieľanie informácií a mohli by sa koordinovať činnosti stráženia a dozoru. Medzi prínosy EÚ môže patriť odborná príprava (twinning) pracovníkov orgánov činných v trestnom konaní, spolupráca s FRONTEX a Europol, riešenie problémov, medzi ktoré patria sociálna ochrana a odborná príprava úradníkov v oblasti práce, či rehabilitácia obetí obchodovania s ľuďmi.

- Ako Komisia vysvetlila vo svojom oznámení z decembra 2006, mobilita osôb má pre partnerov ESP a EÚ najväčší význam, aby sa úplne splnila táto priorita zahraničnej politiky. Komisia preto navrhla, aby sa „veľmi dôkladne preskúmala možnosť, aby postupy na vydávanie víz predstavovali menšiu prekážku legálnemu cestovaniu zo susedných krajín do EÚ (a naopak) v zmysle širších súborov na riešenie súvisiacich problémov v oblasti spravodlivosti, slobody a bezpečnosti“. V dôsledku toho sa musia v prípade týchto krajín posúdiť partnerstvá v oblasti mobility, najmä možnosti zjednodušenia vízového režimu , pracovných povolení a informácie týkajúce sa potrieb trhu v oblasti sezónnej práce v rámci EÚ. Prednostne by sa mala, okrem iného, preskúmať realizovateľnosť takéhoto partnerstva s Ukrajinou.

- Okrem toho by sa malo zabezpečiť zjednodušenie vízového režimu na mimopracovné účely (t. j. na účely obchodu, vzdelávania a cestovného ruchu) a pre oficiálnych predstaviteľov zúčastňujúcich sa na dôležitých zasadaniach súvisiacich s reformou, čo už umožňujú existujúce Spoločné konzulárne pokyny. Komisia teda dôrazne odporúča, aby tento postup uplatňovali najmä členské štáty, v ktorých sa konajú najvýznamnejšie zasadnutia (t. j. členské štáty, ktoré sú hostiteľmi inštitúcií EÚ a ktoré vykonávajú funkciu rotujúceho predsedníctva). Komisia by vyzvala najmä k tomuto postupu s okamžitým účinkom v prípade ľudí cestujúcich za účelom „pracovných záležitostí týkajúcich sa EÚ“ (ktorých žiadosti o víza predstavujú malý podiel na celkovom počte žiadostí o víza), ktorým poskytne odporúčajúce listy pre veľvyslanectvo alebo konzulát príslušného členského štátu EÚ a bude v tejto súvislosti s veľvyslanectvom alebo konzulátom naďalej spolupracovať.

- Prevody finančných prostriedkov migrantov sú v tomto regióne tiež dôležité, pričom Arménsko, Gruzínsko, Moldavsko a Ukrajina patria medzi krajiny najviac závislé od prevodov finančných prostriedkov na svete. Mali by sa preskúmať možnosti zníženia transakčných nákladov na prevody a posilnenia ich vplyvu na rozvoj krajiny pôvodu (upozorňujúc, že prevody sú vo svojej podstate súkromné). Rovnako je potrebné podporiť spôsoby stimulovania socio-ekonomického rozvoja týchto krajín zabránením ďalšieho úniku mozgov, podporou dobrovoľného návratu (vysoko) kvalifikovaných osôb a podporou veľkých diaspór s cieľom prispieť k rozvoju ich krajiny pôvodu. Mali by sa podporovať iniciatívy zamerané na spojenie vysokokvalifikovaných migrantov, medzi ktorých patria vedeckí výskumní pracovníci, s ich krajinami pôvodu.

- Pozornosť by sa mala venovať uzatváraniu dohôd o readmisii . Dohoda o readmisii už bola parafovaná s Ukrajinou a rokovania s Moldavskom boli ukončené tak, aby dohoda nadobudla platnosť čo najskôr v roku 2007. V budúcnosti by sa malo zvážiť aj začatie rokovaní s ostatnými krajinami. V prípade krajín, ktoré už majú takéto dohody s EÚ, by sa pozornosť mala zamerať na ich schopnosť implementovať tieto dohody, ako aj na podporu dosiahnutia podobných dohôd s ich vlastnými východnými a juhovýchodnými susedmi.

- Hoci tieto krajiny už dostávajú od Spoločenstva značnú podporu, malo by sa v nich posilniť budovanie kapacity, či už ide o správu ich vlastných hraníc (alebo presadzovanie právnych predpisov všeobecne) alebo zintenzívnenie ich vzájomnej spolupráce (Ukrajina jasne čelí konkrétnym problémom súvisiacim s jej polohou a veľkosťou a povahou jej hraničných kontrol; Bielorusko prejavilo záujem o spoluprácu v oblasti ochrany hraníc a organizovaného zločinu, pričom by sa mohla ďalej posilniť účinná práca v oblasti boja proti nekalému obchodovaniu z Bieloruska). Existujúca misia pohraničnej pomoci EÚ (EUBAM) na moldavsko-ukrajinskej hranici je dobrým príkladom. Tieto iniciatívy musia byť zosúladené s prebiehajúcimi snahami v oblasti boja proti korupcii a organizovanému zločinu.

- Pravdepodobne bude potrebné ďalej upozorňovať na rozdiely v legislatívnych a inštitucionálnych rámcoch a vnútroštátnej kapacite na zhromažďovanie údajov a monitorovanie migračných tokov. Mohla by sa poskytnúť primeraná technická pomoc , napríklad, pokiaľ ide o bezpečnosť cestovných dokladov, povolenia na pobyt a vízové nálepky, a občianske informačné systémy, na ktoré sa spoliehajú. Je nutné vyvinúť úsilie na zlepšenie bezpečnosti dokladov, aby sa využil najnovší vývoj v používaní biometrických prvkov. Programy technickej pomoci by okrem toho mohli zahŕňať vytvorenie osobitných informačných, školiacich a vzdelávacích centier pre pracovné sily.

2.3. Ruská federácia

2.3.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg

Plán pre spoločný priestor v oblasti slobody, bezpečnosti a spravodlivosti, ktorý bol prijatý v máji 2005, sa postupne vyvíja v rámci Dohody o partnerstve a spolupráci medzi EÚ a Ruskom. Na zasadnutiach Stálej rady partnerstva medzi EÚ a Ruskom na úrovni ministrov spravodlivosti a vnútra, ktoré sa konajú dvakrát ročne, sa monitoruje celková implementácia tohto spoločného priestoru. Okrem toho prebieha neformálny dialóg a konajú sa stretnutia na úrovni odborníkov. Naše strategické partnerstvo je založené na spoločných hodnotách, ktoré podporujú vzťahy medzi EÚ a Ruskom zakotvené v dohode o partnerstve a spolupráci a v pláne pre spoločný priestor. Jednoznačne počítajú s posilnením našej spolupráce prostredníctvom dodržiavania ľudských práv a základných slobôd v členských štátoch EÚ a Rusku, ktoré ako člen Rady Európy musí dodržiavať ustanovenia uvedené v Európskom dohovore o ľudských právach.

2.3.2. Odporúčania

Od zániku ZSSR je Rusko hlavným útočiskom utečencov a ekonomických migrantov zo susedných krajín, ako aj krajinou s vysokým počtom vnútorne vysídlených osôb. Rusko sa nedávno stalo aj hlavnou tranzitnou krajinou pre migračné pohyby, najmä z juhovýchodnej Ázie, Číny a Afganistanu, smerom do západnej Európy. Spolupráca s Ruskom v oblasti migračnej politiky a pohybu osôb má preto rastúci význam.

- Je potrebné prehĺbiť komplexný dialóg s Ruskom o všetkých otázkach súvisiacich s migráciou, vrátane azylu, boja proti nelegálnemu prisťahovalectvu a obchodovania s ľuďmi, pracovnej migrácie a všetkých príslušných sociálnych aspektov migrácie. Posilnenie výmeny skúseností medzi členskými štátmi EÚ a Ruskom v oblasti riadenia pracovnej migrácie by bolo osobitne užitočné.

- Mala by sa zintenzívniť implementácia priorít stanovených v pláne pre spoločný priestor , konkrétne cieľov výmeny informácií o politikách riadenia migrácie a osvedčených postupoch, vrátane hodnotenia štatistík a v prípade potreby spolupráce s tretími krajinami. V tejto súvislosti by sa mala podporovať spolupráca medzi príslušnými orgánmi zodpovednými sa implementáciu dohôd o readmisii a zjednodušení vízového režimu, s dôsledným monitorovaním implementačného procesu, čo by prispelo k účinnejšiemu boju proti nelegálnemu prisťahovalectvu a uľahčeniu kontaktov medzi ľuďmi. Okrem toho, ako je stanovené v spoločnom priestore, sa začal dialóg s cieľom preskúmať podmienky bezvízového cestovania ako dlhodobého cieľa. Tento novovytvorený rámec by sa mohol použiť na preskúmanie spôsobov zintenzívnenia vzťahov v iných oblastiach súvisiacich s migráciou.

- Problémy týkajúce sa ruských právnych predpisov, ktorými sa implementuje Dohovor o utečencoch z roku 1951, sa musia riešiť prostredníctvom posilnenia spolupráce s Ruskou federáciou v oblasti azylu . Je potrebné zlepšiť aj ochranu vnútorne vysídlených osôb v súlade s medzinárodnými normami, aby sa prinajmenšom obmedzil tlak na azylové systémy susedných krajín.

- Mala by sa podporovať výmena informácií o legislatívnom rámci vo vzťahu ku všetkým formám obchodovania s ľuďmi, vrátane v rámci TF-OC. Mala by sa zintenzívniť najmä implementácia Dohody o spolupráci medzi Europolom a Ruskom z roku 2003 o boji proti rôznym formám nadnárodných trestných činností . Mala by sa tiež podporiť práca TF-OC v boji proti obchodovaniu s ľuďmi, ako nástroja na zlepšenie regionálnej spolupráce v oblasti multidisciplinárneho presadzovania zákona v regióne Baltského mora a najmä s Ruskou federáciou. Mali by sa preskúmať spôsoby posilnenia úloh organizácie Europol a agentúry FRONTEX v regióne Baltského mora.

- Dôležitá je účinná operačná spolupráca, s ktorou sa počíta i v rámci rozdelenia právomocí medzi agentúrou FRONTEX a ruskou pohraničnou službou, najmä pokiaľ ide o podporu osvedčených postupov v oblasti správy hraníc.

3. ĎALšIE REGIÓNY

3.1. Partnerské krajiny ESP z východného Stredomoria (Sýria, Libanon a Jordánsko) a ďalšie krajiny Stredného východu (Irán a Irak)

3.1.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg

Pokiaľ ide o Libanon a Jordánsko, o migrácii a otázkach súvisiacich s migráciou sa diskutuje v príslušných podvýboroch pre migráciu a sociálne záležitosti v rámci príslušných asociačných dohôd a akčných plánov ESP. Akčný plán s Libanonom obsahuje osobitné odkazy na spoluprácu v oblasti riadenia migrácie a správy hraníc, partnerstva s agentúrou FRONTEX, možnosť lepšieho riadenia pracovnej migrácie a zjednodušenia vízového režimu. Akčný plán s Jordánskom obsahuje oddiel týkajúci sa problémov migrácie, vrátane možnosti prerokovať spoluprácu v oblasti tranzitnej migrácie, azylu, ako aj vízových otázok. Ďalšou prioritou v akčnom pláne oboch krajín je správa hraníc. V rámci súčasnej dohody o spolupráci neexistuje žiadny formálny bilaterálny dialóg so Sýriou. Euro-stredomorské partnerstvo, do ktorého sú zapojené Libanon, Jordánsko a Sýria, zabezpečuje aj regionálny dialóg o migrácii medzi EÚ a partnerskými krajinami. Neexistuje žiadny rámec pre dialóg s Iránom[8] a žiadny oficiálny dialóg o migrácii a súvisiacich otázkach s Irakom.[9]

3.1.2. Odporúčania

- Dialóg s Libanonom a Jordánskom o otázkach migrácie, víz, azylu a správy hraníc bude aktívne prebiehať v rámci zasadnutí príslušných podvýborov a podľa priorít stanovených v akčných plánoch ESP. Pokiaľ ide o Sýriu, bilaterálny dialóg o migrácii sa začne po podpise asociačnej dohody.

- Vzhľadom na rastúcu závažnosť problémov spojených s utečencami v týchto krajinách, najmä pokiaľ ide o konflikt v Iraku a jeho dosah na jeho susedov, a vzhľadom na skutočnosť, že doteraz väčšinu utečencov prijímajú ich hostiteľské krajiny (Jordánsko a Sýria ako štáty s najväčším počtom utečencov, Jordánsko so 750 000 a Sýria s 1 miliónom utečencov), EÚ musí byť pripravená na ďalšiu podporu a účasť na príslušnom regionálnom dialógu alebo iniciatívach v oblasti spolupráce. EÚ a jej členské štáty vo svojich vzťahoch s Jordánskom a Sýriou by mali naďalej podporovať podmienky, ktoré umožňujú medzinárodnému spoločenstvu poskytovať humanitárnu pomoc a medzinárodnú ochranu, vrátane podpory prostredníctvom programov rehabilitácie a iných programov.

- Podporiť by sa mal Irán, aby zohrával aktívnejšiu úlohu v spolupráci so svojimi susedmi (najmä Tureckom a južným Kaukazom, ale aj Pakistanom a Afganistanom) v oblasti zamedzenia prevádzaniu ľudí a obchodovaniu s nimi a postihovania tejto činnosti. Mohli by sa preskúmať pilotné formy konkrétnej spolupráce na technickej úrovni.

Všetky tieto krajiny by sa mali tiež vyzvať, aby podľa potreby ratifikovali a implementovali Ženevský dohovor a UNTOC ( Dohovor OSN o nadnárodnom organizovanom zločine) a jeho doplňujúce protokoly .

3.2. Stredná Ázia

3.2.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg

O migrácii a otázkach súvisiacich s migráciou sa rokuje na zasadnutiach podvýboru pre spravodlivosť a vnútorné veci, ktoré sa plánujú s Kazachstanom a Uzbekistanom v rámci príslušných DPS. O migrácii sa diskutuje aj vo výbore pre spoluprácu medzi EÚ a Kirgizskom v oblasti DPS. Doteraz však neexistuje žiadny formálny bilaterálny dialóg o migrácii s Turkmenistanom a Tadžikistanom. Okrem uvedených stretnutí existuje regionálny dialóg o migrácii medzi EÚ a Strednou Áziou. EÚ bude časom pravdepodobne chcieť zabezpečiť, aby sa otázky migrácie začlenili do politického a hospodárskeho dialógu s krajinami Strednej Ázie.

3.2.2. Odporúčania

- Mohla by sa ďalej preskúmať spolupráca v oblasti správy hraníc v súlade s projektom BOMCA, alebo pomocou iných prebiehajúcich projektov v oblasti riadenia pracovnej migrácie .

- Mohla by sa zvážiť technická pomoc pre krajiny v regióne s cieľom ďalej spolupracovať s EÚ, Tureckom a východnými partnerskými krajinami ESP v oblasti obmedzovania nelegálneho prisťahovalectva a boja proti prevádzaniu ľudí a obchodovaniu s nimi.

- Partnerské krajiny by sa mali vyzvať, aby podľa potreby ratifikovali a implementovali Ženevský dohovor a UNTOC a jeho doplňujúce protokoly .

3.3. Ázijské krajiny pôvodu

3.3.1. Súčasný rámec pre dialóg

Politickým rámcom pre spoluprácu s Áziou je oznámenie z roku 2001 o Európe a Ázii: Strategický rámec pre posilnené partnerstvá ,[10] v ktorom sa plánuje posilnenie nášho dialógu a spolupráce s Áziou v mnohých oblastiach, vrátane súdnictva a otázok vnútorných vecí, medzi ktoré patria vízová, azylová, imigračná politika a iné politiky súvisiace s voľným pohybom osôb, ako aj sociálna politika a celosvetové problémy a príležitosti. Komisia sa domnieva, že je potrebné zintenzívniť politický a hospodársky dialóg na regionálnej úrovni na fórach, medzi ktoré patrí ASEAN a ASEM, ako aj bilaterálne.

Pokiaľ ide o Čínu, so Spoločenstvom sa pravidelne konajú konzultácie na vysokej úrovni o otázkach týkajúcich sa boja proti nelegálnemu prisťahovalectvu a obchodovaniu s ľuďmi so zameraním na výmenu informácií a opatrenia na budovanie dôvery. V tomto zmysle sa vymieňajú informácie o právnych predpisoch zavedených týmito dvoma stranami a konajú sa prípravné rozhovory o readmisii spolu s diskusiami o zákonných spôsoboch cestovania do Európy a v Európe.

3.3.2. Odporúčania

Predpokladá sa, že okrem otázok súvisiacich s migráciou a rozvojom sa v našich vzťahoch s Áziou zvýši význam oblastí, medzi ktoré patrí vízová, azylová a prisťahovalecká politika a iné politiky súvisiace s voľným pohybom osôb, najmä v dôsledku rozširujúcich sa obchodných vzťahov, vrátane obchodu so službami; demografickej zmeny s výrazným nárastom počtu obyvateľov vo väčšine oblastí Ázie v porovnaní s poklesom počtu obyvateľov v Európe; a rozširujúceho sa rozsahu pracovnej migrácie a uspokojenia ponuky pracovných síl a dopytu po pracovných silách na celosvetovej úrovni v niektorých sektoroch hospodárstva. O týchto skutočnostiach svedčí nárast prisťahovalectva z tohto regiónu, rozvoj dialógu o týchto otázkach, začlenenie migrácie do nových dohôd o spolupráci s krajinami juhovýchodnej Ázie a rozvoj celosvetových iniciatív, medzi ktoré patrí Balijský proces. Niektorým krajinám sa okrem toho venuje osobitná pozornosť v dôsledku priority, ktorú im pripisuje EÚ na základe politiky readmisie. Sú to krajiny alebo subjekty, s ktorými Spoločenstvo uzavrelo dohodu o readmisii (Hongkong, Macao a Srí Lanka), práve uzatvára dohodu (Pakistan) alebo mieni rokovať o takejto dohode (Čína). EÚ začala aj dvojstranný a viacstranný dialóg s Áziou o otázkach súvisiacich s pracovnou migráciou, vrátane zamestnanosti, sociálnej politiky a vzdelávania. Keďže hlavné príčiny emigrácie z tretích krajín sa v tomto regióne naďalej riešia ako východiskový bod:

- Musia sa ďalej podporovať prebiehajúce rokovania o readmisii a iniciatívy týkajúce sa boja proti prevádzaniu ľudí a obchodovaniu s nimi;

- V strednodobom horizonte by sa dialóg o všetkých otázkach migrácie mal stať štandardným aspektom politického a hospodárskeho dialógu s krajinami v tomto regióne. V plnej miere by sa mali využiť možnosti, ktoré poskytuje dialóg v rámci ASEM a jeho virtuálny sekretariát, ktorý sa práve vytvára na výmenu informácií a osvedčených postupov v oblasti migrácie.

- Musí sa posúdiť potenciál pracovnej migrácie z Ázie. Zvýšená a dobre riadená mobilita určitých kategórií osôb z krajín tohto regiónu môže mať veľký význam pre EÚ, ako aj socio-ekonomický rozvoj samotných krajín. Pracovná migrácia je dôležitým bodom programu novovytvoreného dialógu medzi EÚ a Indiou a existujú možnosti rozšírenia dialógu s Čínou v záujme oboch strán za hranice súčasného zamerania na nelegálne prisťahovalectvo a toky turistov s cieľom uľahčiť mobilitu. V rámci ASEM sa začala aj výmena v oblasti pracovnej migrácie a v súčasnosti sa skúma rozsah užšieho dialógu a spolupráce s ASEAN v tejto oblasti. Komisia preto navrhuje v prípade vybraných krajín tohto regiónu preskúmať možnosti prostredníctvom partnerstiev v oblasti mobility .

4. ZLEPšENIE KOORDINÁCIE

Pri podpore riadenia migrácie v susedných a vzdialenejších krajinách a regiónoch sa už zohľadňuje mnoho rôznych iniciatív. Vzhľadom na to, že hodnota globálneho prístupu by sa zvýšila, ak by bola zabezpečená väčšia súdržnosť a komplementarita iniciatív, Komisia navrhuje, aby členské štáty najprv prispeli k doplneniu zoznamu všetkých iniciatív Spoločenstva v krajinách a regiónoch, na ktoré sa vzťahuje toto oznámenie (pozri prílohu I), zoznamom ich vlastných vnútroštátnych iniciatív tak, aby sa mohol vytvoriť úplnejší obraz o súčasnej situácii.

Okrem toho sa môže urobiť viac pre porozumenie veľkosti a podstaty migračných tokov z východu a juhovýchodu. Informácie, ktoré sú k dispozícii, sa nezhromažďujú alebo nevyužívajú systematicky. Niekoľko organizácií má cenné informácie o rôznych oblastiach, ktoré sú súčasťou jednotného prístupu k migrácii. Mohla by sa zvážiť iniciatíva na vytvorenie siete na výmenu informácií medzi FRONTEX, EUROPOL, IOM, ICMPD, ILO, rôznymi agentúrami OSN – najmä UNDP, UNHCR a UNODC – a inými medzinárodnými a regionálnymi organizáciami, medzi ktoré patrí SECI.

Vzhľadom na závažnosť obchodovania s ľuďmi a ich prevádzania je potrebný koordinovanejší prístup s cieľom rozvíjať politické iniciatívy zamerané na riešenie tohto problému. Medzi konkrétne iniciatívy by mohlo patriť ďalšie rozšírenie zoznamov existujúcich iniciatív (ktoré už pripravilo Združenie proti obchodovaniu s ľuďmi), posilnenie dialógu s tretími krajinami v oblasti podpory účinných politík proti obchodovaniu s ľuďmi a zameranie sa na osobitné oblasti vyvolávajúce obavy, medzi ktoré patrí ochrana obetí obchodovania s ľuďmi, najmä so ženami a deťmi. EÚ by okrem toho mala zvážiť aktívne zapojenie do prebiehajúcich celosvetových iniciatív, medzi ktoré patrí Skupina pre spoluprácu medzi agentúrami OSN v oblasti obchodovania s ľuďmi (ICAT). Nedávno prijatý program o „Prevencii pred zločinom a o boji proti nemu“ umožňuje finančne podporovať projekty v prioritných oblastiach, medzi ktoré patrí prevencia, ochrana a pomoc obetiam a súdne stíhanie a trestanie páchateľov.

Pri riešení nelegálnych tokov by agentúra FRONTEX mala zohrávať významnejšiu úlohu pri zabezpečení súdržnosti a koordinácie medzi jej činnosťami a celkovou politikou EÚ v oblasti vonkajších vzťahov. Medzi geografické priority agentúry v roku 2007 patrí rozvoj spolupráce s Ruskom, Ukrajinou, Moldavskom, Gruzínskom a krajinami západného Balkánu a ázijskými krajinami, najmä s Čínou, Pakistanom a Indiou. Keďže stratégia a pracovný program už existujú, musia sa agentúre FRONTEX poskytnúť zdroje, ktoré sú potrebné na účinné vykonávanie svojho mandátu, a členské štáty musia zabezpečiť, aby mali k dispozícii dostatočné zdroje na účasť na spoločných operáciách agentúry FRONTEX, a ak to bude nutné, na analýze rizika. Odporúča sa aj možnosť využívania RABIT na východnej a juhovýchodnej hranici. Agentúra FRONTEX by mala ďalej rozvíjať vhodné spravodajské metódy s cieľom zabezpečiť spoľahlivú analýzu rizika a malo by sa podporiť jej zapojenie do projektov, stretnutí, konferencií a odbornej prípravy s tretími krajinami.

Je potrebný aj koordinovanejší prístup, aby sa zabezpečilo zlepšenie riadenia pracovnej migrácie . Je potrebné, aby sa do iniciatív v tejto oblasti zapojili všetci príslušní aktéri, najmä ministri obchodu, práce a školstva a ďalšie zainteresované strany, vrátane sociálnych partnerov. V konkrétnych iniciatívach by sa mala zhodnotiť a naznačiť celosvetová ponuka pracovných síl a dopyt po nich podľa úrovne kvalifikácie a mali by sa v nich riešiť súvisiace otázky, medzi ktoré patrí uznávanie praxe a kvalifikácie, prístup na trh práce, začlenenie migrantov, podpora a uľahčenie nových foriem migrácie, medzi ktoré patrí dočasná a okružná migrácia, a budovanie kapacity služieb zamestnanosti v tretích krajinách. Iniciatívy by úzko súviseli s podporou dôstojnej práce pre všetkých v rámci migrácie.

Členské štáty EÚ by mohli zvýšiť počet styčných imigračných úradníkov (Immigration Liaison Officers (ILO)) v tomto regióne a rozvíjať siete ILO na hlavných migračných cestách. Spoločenstvo môže prispieť k týmto snahám prostredníctvom Európskeho fondu pre vonkajšie hranice.

Zriadenie spoločných centier na podávanie žiadostí o víza – medzi ktoré patrí centrum otvorené v Moldavsku v spolupráci s Rakúskom, Maďarskom, Lotyšskom a Slovinskom a čoskoro Estónskom a Dánskom – by tiež pomohlo členským štátom spoločne sa podieľať na poskytovaní služieb. Regionálne zavedenie vízového informačného systému by okrem toho mohlo byť stimulom na posilnenie zastúpenia členských štátov a vytvorenie spoločných centier na podávanie žiadostí o víza v tomto regióne.

EÚ a jej členské štáty zintenzívňujú svoje činnosti na podporu tretích krajín s cieľom lepšie riadiť migráciu. Nástroj ES TAIEX na krátkodobé vysielanie odborníkov zohráva dôležitú úlohu v sprístupňovaní odborníkov, ktorých vyžadujú tretie krajiny, aj v iných oblastiach spravodlivosti, slobody a bezpečnosti. Mandát úradu sa však v súčasnosti obmedzuje na kandidátske krajiny a krajiny, na ktoré sa vzťahuje ESP. V budúcnosti by sa mohli preskúmať nové formy spolupráce.

5. ZÁVER

Východné a juhovýchodné oblasti susediace s EÚ sú dôležité, pokiaľ ide o legálnu a nelegálnu migráciu medzi krajinami v regióne aj do EÚ. Dialóg a spolupráca v oblasti migrácie už výrazne pokročili s mnohými krajinami v týchto regiónoch, najmä pokiaľ ide o boj proti nelegálnemu prisťahovalectvu. Uplatňovanie globálneho prístupu k týmto regiónom si vyžaduje, aby sa v rámci dostupných prostriedkov spolupráca ďalej rozvíjala, vyvažovala a rozširovala – najmä pokiaľ ide o lepšie riešenie problémov súvisiacich s mobilitou a rozvojovou dimenziou migrácie – aby EÚ mohla získať dôveryhodnosť v očiach svojich partnerov a dosiahla ďalšie štádium spolupráce s nimi.

Komisia sa domnieva, že v prvom štádiu je nevyhnutné, aby sa pomocou rámcov zavedených na diskusiu o migrácii posilnil dialóg a dohody o otázkach mobility vo vzťahoch EÚ s partnerskými krajinami ESP. Aby sa splnila táto priorita v oblasti politiky, mali by sa zhodnotiť súčasné postupy vydávania víz a do konca roka 2007 by sa mali preskúmať praktické opatrenia na uľahčenie mobility kľúčových kategórií cestujúcich, ktoré sú k dispozícii v rámci súčasných vízových režimov. Vzhľadom na posun hraníc EÚ po rozšírení si teraz osobitnú pozornosť vyžaduje podpora regionálnej spolupráce s čiernomorským regiónom a v rámci neho, najmä v oblastiach hraničnej kontroly a boja proti nelegálnemu prisťahovalectvu. Mala by tiež pokračovať a zintenzívňovať sa spolupráca s Ruskou federáciou. Okrem toho sa bude naďalej posilňovať dialóg a spolupráca s krajinami a regiónmi pôvodu ďalej na východ.

Kľúčovým cieľom pri uplatňovaní globálneho prístupu k týmto regiónom je potreba zachovať politickú ucelenosť a zabezpečiť nadväznosť s prebiehajúcim dialógom a iniciatívami spolupráce v oblasti migrácie a súvisiacich oblastiach, ktoré sa už uskutočňujú v celkovom kontexte politiky EÚ v oblasti vonkajších vzťahov. Komisia v úzkej spolupráci a koordinácii s členskými štátmi a všetkými ostatnými zapojenými aktérmi zabezpečí túto ucelenosť a nadväznosť a primeraný následný mechanizmus, podľa možnosti s časovým harmonogramom, pre koordináciu globálneho prístupu v týchto regiónoch.

Annex I: Acronyms and glossary

1. ACRONYMS

ASEAN : Association of South-East Asian Nations

ASEM : Asia-Europe Meeting

BSBCIC : Black Sea Border Coordination and Information Centre

BSEC : Black Sea Economic Cooperation

BOMCA : Border Management in Central Asia

ENP : European Neighbourhood Policy

EUBAM : EU Border Assistance Mission

ICAT : UN Inter-Agency Cooperation Group on Human Trafficking

ICMPD : International Centre for Migration Policy Development

ILO : Immigration Liaison Officer

ILO : International Labour Organization

IOM : International Organisation for Migration

IPA : Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance

MARRI : The Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative

PCA : Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

RABIT : Rapid Border Intervention Team

SAA : Stabilisation and Association Agreement

SECI : South-East European Cooperative Initiative

SEECP : South-East Cooperation Process

STM : Stabilisation and Association Process Tracking Mechanism

TAIEX : Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument

TF-OC : Task Force on Organised Crime in the Baltic Sea Region

UNDP : United Nations Development Programme

UNHCR : United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNODC : United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UNTOC : UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime

2. G LOSSARY

Asia-Europe Meeting : ASEM is an informal dialogue process initiated in 1996. The EU Member States, the European Commission and thirteen Asian countries (Brunei, Burma/Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) participate in the process. The ASEM 6 Summit held in September 2006 decided to admit India, Mongolia, Pakistan and the ASEAN Secretariat to the ASEM process, upon their completion of the necessary procedures.

Bali Process : brings participants together to work on practical measures to help combat people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crimes in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Initiated at the "Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime" held in Bali in February 2002, the Bali Process follow-up is a collaborative effort participated in by over fifty countries and numerous international agencies.

Budapest Process : a consultative forum of more than fifty Governments from the wider European region and ten international organisations, which aims to promote good governance in the field of migration, a harmonised approach in dealing with irregular migration challenges and support for the transfer and common understanding of migration concepts and policies.

Cooperation platforms on migration and development : A concept proposed in the 2006 Communication on the Global Approach and endorsed by the December European Council. The idea is to bring together migration and development actors in a country or region to manage migration more effectively, in the interests of all, along specific migratory routes. Such platforms would bring together representatives of the country or countries concerned with Member States, the Commission and international organisations.

Global Approach to Migration : brings together migration, external relations and development policy to address migration in an integrated, comprehensive and balanced way in partnership with third countries. It comprises the whole migration agenda, including legal and illegal migration, combating trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants, strengthening protection for refugees, enhancing migrant rights and harnessing the positive links that exist between migration and development. It is underscored by the fundamental principles of partnership, solidarity and shared responsibility and uses the concept of 'migratory routes' to develop and implement policy.

MARRI : an initiative forming part of the South-East European Cooperation Process which aims to enhance regional cooperation. Participating states are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Its regional centre is located in Skopje.

Migration portals : web portals with information about legal migration opportunities and various other aspects of migration. The establishment of these web portals will be financially supported by the new budget line, 'Preparatory Action: Migration management – Solidarity in action'.

Migration profiles : a tool to bring together and analyse all the relevant information needed to develop policy in the field of migration and development and to monitor the impact of policies implemented.

Migration routes initiative : work along the main migratory routes through a particular region and towards the EU is identified and takes into account the need to work in close collaboration with the third countries along these routes.

Mobility partnerships: would provide the overall framework for managing various forms of legal movement between the EU and third countries. Such partnerships would be agreed with those third countries committed to fighting illegal immigration and that have effective mechanisms for readmission. Mobility partnerships are in the process of being developed – see the Communication on Circular migration and mobility partnerships between the European Union and third countries , adopted simultaneously.

Regional networks of ILOs : coordination mechanisms to bring together Immigration Liaison Officers so as to better coordinate and share information at the regional level.

Söderköping Process : supported by the EC, its strategic objective is to facilitate cross-border cooperation between a number of EU Member States, Candidate countries and the countries of Eastern Europe on asylum, migration and border management issues.

Annex II:

Examples of EU cooperation with and assistance to countries covered by the Communication

This annex aims to provide an overview of the cooperation which has been established until now in the field of migration and asylum by the EU and the European and Asiatic countries which are located along the migratory routes on the Eastern and South-Eastern flanks of the EU. The list is indicative and by no means exhaustive.

The annex presents the projects which have been funded by the European Commission in these countries in the field of asylum, migration, border management and visa policy.

As regards the information included, it should be underlined that:

a) only those projects that were committed through programmes of the previous EU financial framework (2000-2006) are included in the list;

b) projects related to development of border infrastructures or addressing customs services or the police forces generically (not specifically the border police) are not included in the list; and

c) projects addressing the root causes of migration or trafficking in human beings are not listed.

The information presented should be used actively. Other donors can more easily see what the EC has been funding up to now, whereas we stimulate our implementing partners to take this information available on past projects into account when drafting proposals for future activities.

1. Countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU

1.1 The Western Balkans and Turkey

Regional

Project Name | Establishment of EU compatible legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks in the fields of asylum, migration and visa matters (CARDS/2003/077-352) |

Location | Western Balkans |

Implementation period | January 2004 – February 2006 |

Implementing Partner | Swedish Migration Board, together with ICMPD, IOM, UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 3.000.000 / € 3.000.000 |

Funding Programme | CARDS |

Responsible DG | ELARG |

Description | The objectives of the project were to contribute to a better strategic and technical understanding of EU standards and the best practices in the field of asylum, migration and visa; to support the development of a regional strategy, based upon benchmarks that translate a set of commonly accepted EU technical standards, practices and principles; to contribute in the development of detailed national strategies together with implementation action plans; to contribute to institution and capacity building. The project also promoted the creation of a regional network among the officials in the 5 countries of the region |

Project Name | Support to and coordination of Integrated Border Management Strategies in the Western Balkans (CARDS/2004/081-242) |

Location | Western Balkans |

Implementation period | January 2005 – April 2007 |

Implementing Partner | France, Austria, OSCE, ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.999.984 |

Funding Programme | CARDS |

Responsible DG | ELARG |

Description | The project provided assistance to the countries for the development of their national Integrated Border Management strategies and Action Plans in order to ensure that these are coherent and effectively co-ordinated at the regional level. The project has contributed to this process by raising awareness and understanding of the concepts and relevant EU standards and best practice, as listed in the IBM Guidelines for Western Balkans. The assistance has supported a multidisciplinary approach, including support to border police, customs, veterinary and phyto-sanitary inspection services, as well as to other services involved in border management issues. |

Project Name | Fostering sustainable reintegration in Albania, the Kosovo province and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, by reinforcing local NGO capacity service provision to returnees (2002/HLWG/003) |

Location | Albania, the Kosovo province and the FYR of Macedonia |

Implementation period | November 2003 – November 2005 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 700.759,69 / € 560.607,76 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | This project focused on new mechanisms and the development of existing ones for return and reintegration through support to local NGOs (service provision and counselling capacities). The IOM offices in Western Europe defined a list of potential returnees and were able to develop a database. The project was then pursued in Albania, Kosovo and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, by workshops for local NGOs. Reintegration services could then be provided: for instance a reintegration package was defined. Another component of the project was the development of different campaigns to raise public awareness of the targeted areas. |

Project Name | Network of immigration liaison officers (ILO) in the Western Balkans (Albania and surrounding region) (2002/HLWG/013) |

Location | Albania and surrounding region |

Implementation period | November 2002 –December 2003 |

Implementing Partner | Commissariaat General - Beleid Internationale Politiesamenverking, Belgium |

Budget/EC contribution | € 729.500 / € 429.750 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | This project implemented by the Belgian authorities aimed at creating an Immigration Liaison Officers’ network (ILO) in the Western Balkans in order to structure and consolidate exchange of information and possible co-operation between the ILOs in the Western Balkans as well as with other important partners and local authorities. The added value of this project was the possible harmonisation of activities, the updated knowledge and the definition of policy guidelines in this field in the Western Balkans. |

Project Name | Promoting regular migration in the Western Balkans through establishment of regional migrant service centres providing information and migration related services” (2003/HLWG/051) |

Location | Western Balkans |

Implementation period | December 2004 – June 2006 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 815.119,64 / € 652.095,71 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | The aim was to promote orderly labour migration flows and related awareness-raising through the creation of the first regional network of Migration Services Centres (MSCs) in the Western Balkans. The project contributed to establish and run 6 MSCs (Skopje, Prishtina, Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo, and Tirana, the last one having been created before the project and representing a model for the others) and a website, through which not only would be migrants, but also people interested to return and reintegration, were provided counselling. |

Project Name | Training Action for the Balkans: Three intensive seminars on Asylum and International Protection for 120 civil servants (2005/103474) |

Location | Western Balkans |

Implementation period | December 2005 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | ERA- Académie de Droit Européen |

Budget/EC contribution | € 641.643 / € 512.617 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Three seminars, one week each, will give a general overview of all the issues related to the migration and asylum, in particular: legal migration; dialogue on migratory flows; readmission and reintegration of the returnees; illegal migration. |

Project Name | Strong Institutions and a Unified Approach in the Asylum, Migration and Visa Management in the Western Balkans (2006/120-144) |

Location | Western Balkans |

Implementation period | January 2007 – October 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Migrationsverket |

Budget/EC contribution | € 625.000 / € 500.000 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | A better management of all aspects of migration flows in the region by regulating and facilitating legal migration and curbing illegal migration in the Western Balkan Countries |

Project Name | Development of communication and information exchange systems on illegal migration in the Western Balkan region (2006/120-275) |

Location | Western Balkans |

Implementation period | January 2007 – June 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Hungary - Office of EU Co-ordination and ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 625.000 / € 500.000 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | To assist the five SAp countries in the WB region in their efforts to developing a system for exchanging communication and information on illegal migration, and more particularly focussed on the preparation of the WB countries to the use of ICONET system and to the participation in the CIREFI group |

Albania

Project Name | National Strategy on Migration (CARDS/2003/71910) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | September 2003 – July 2005 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.249.989 / € 1.000.000 |

Funding Programme | CARDS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Tirana |

Description | The project addressed the need for reform in the field of migration management in Albania through the development of a national strategy on migration. |

Project Name | 'Establishment of EU compatible legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks? '(CARDS) |

Location | Albania |

Funding Programme | CARDS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Tirana |

Description | CARDS 2002-3 promoted the establishment of EU compatible legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks in the fields of asylum, migration and visa matters. |

Project Name | Sustainable return, reintegration and development in Albania through consolidated preparatory actions for migration management (2001/HLWG/102) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | April 2002 – December 2003 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 835.885,00 / € 635.883 |

Funding Programme | HLWG – B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | This project aimed to develop and strengthen regional capacities to manage irregular migration flows into, through and from Albania. This has been achieved by establishing the necessary mechanisms to facilitate the voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of 175 victims of trafficking and illegal migrants stranded in Albania in their countries of origin such as Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine. The project was instrumental for the establishment of a National Reception Centre (NRC). It served as a preparatory measure working towards the long-term development of a sustainable migration management system. |

Project Name | Upgrading the border control system of Albania along European standards (2001/HLWG/124) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | December 2001 – April 2003 |

Implementing Partner | ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 551.649,43 / € 441.320 |

Funding Programme | HLWG – B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | This project aimed to develop a blueprint for a border guarding system and a master plan for its realisation. In order to achieve these goals, ICMPD worked closely with the Albanian authorities to establish an International Border Guarding Task Force. The project also elaborated jointly with the Albanian authorities an action plan which was the basis for later funding by the programme CARDS, thanks to the blueprint of the Albanian border system provided. |

Project Name | Developing of the asylum system in Albania (2001/HLWG/127 and 2004/81185) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | January 2002 – June 2006 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 764.438, 87 / € 732.088 (B7-667) €2.000.000 / € 2.000.000 (2004/81185) |

Funding Programme | HLWG – B7-667 CARDS |

Responsible DG | JLS and EC DEL Tirana |

Description | The overall objective of these projects was to set up a functioning and effective mechanism for asylum and refugee protection in Albania. This projects work along the lines of a three-stage process: pre-procedure (access), procedure (refugee status determination) and post-procedure (durable solutions). In term of access to the asylum system, fair and efficient procedures for the border regime, consistent with International and European protection standards, are being developed and implemented. |

Project Name | Migrant Service Centres (CARDS) |

Location | Albania |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Funding Programme | CARDS 2003 |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Tirana |

Description | Migrant Service Centers were established providing information and migration related service in particular to improve management of labour migration towards Italy. |

Project Name | “Combating irregular migration in Albania and the wider region; Targeted support to capacity building within the framework of readmission support to Albania” (2003/HLWG/055) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | December 2004 – June 2006 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 882.345,45; EU grant: € 705.876,36 |

Funding Programme | HLWG – B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | Relevant Albanian authorities received information on the EU best practices related to management of apprehended illegal migrants, received training (including on foreign languages), were adviced regarding the standards to be respected for the establishement of a reception center for illegal migrants in Albania, for the handling of the latter and for their repatriation to their home countries. |

Project Name | Implementation of the readmission agreement (CARDS) |

Location | Albania |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2.000.000 |

Funding Programme | CARDS 2004 |

Responsible DG | ELARG |

Project Name | Building a Mechanism to effectively and sustainable implement readmission agreements between Albania, the EC and third countries (2005/103499) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | December 2005 – April 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation of the Hellenic Republic; IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.818.460 / € 1.454.768 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project supported Albania to identify and manage the return of third country returned illegal migrants and to help reintegration of returned Albanians. |

Project Name | W.A.R.M. (2005/103559) |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Comune di Roma |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.519.207 / € 1.215.196 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Reintegration of Albanian returnees through their insertion on labour market and through micro-enterprises creation. |

Project Name | ALBAMAR (2005/103632) |

Location | Albania and Morocco |

Implementation period | December 2005 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.668.216 / € 1.334.572 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Definition and implementation of an integrated support to Moroccan and Albanian migrants forcedly or voluntarily repatriated from Italy that are highly exposed to the risks of illegal migration and criminal activities |

Project Name | Former et créer un réseau institutionnel pour l’identification, l’accueil et l’intégration durable des personnes en retour |

Location | Albania |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Associazione Centro Europa Per La Scuola Educazione E Societa-Ceses |

Budget/EC contribution | € 834.551 / € 652.443 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Soutenir les institutions albanaises dans le processus de création d’un système efficace de gestion des flux des personnes en retour visé à la mise en œuvre de l’accord de réadmission avec la CE et à l'élimination des causes de l'émigration illégal. |

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Project Name | Support to Migration Management Capacities (2003/72875 and 2005/115633) |

Location | Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Implementation period | November 2003 – January 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 870.000 / € 870.000 (2003/72875) € 1.200.000 / € 1.200.000(2005/115633) |

Funding Programme | CARDS 2003 and 2005 |

Responsible DG | DEL Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Description | These projects aim at ensuring that the Sector for Immigration and Asylum, established within the Ministry of Security have administrative and procedural capacity that will allow Bosnia and Herzegovina to effectively manage population movements, and develop a migration policy for Bosnia and Herzegovina that will be coordinated by the Ministry of Security and regularly reviewed; to ensure that management structures necessary for the effective implementation of migration policies and legislation, in line with the EU standards and practices are developed; to strengthen the legislative basis for the management of migration processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina by developing new legislation and by-laws and consolidating existing legislation and procedures in line with EU standards and practices and other international norms; to establish a Migration Information System that will allow the Ministry of Security to collect and analyze information about non-citizens that will be used to develop migration policy, visa requirements and improve legislation and procedures. |

Project Name | Support to Asylum Management Capacities (2003/072-091 and 2005/109048) |

Location | Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Implementation period | October 2003 – June 2007 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.000.000 / € 1.000.000 (2003/072-091) € 800.000 / € 800.000 (2005/109048) |

Funding Programme | CARDS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Sarajevo |

Description | These projects have the following key objective: to establish a clearly identified and independent authority, as a competent “asylum unit” within the competent ministry, with responsibility for examining requests for refugee status and taking decisions on refugee status in the first instance. |

Project Name | Strengthening the protection of asylum seekers (2005/103661) |

Location | Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | VASA PRAVA – Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Budget/EC contribution | € 856.932,56 / € 616.562,98 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Ensuring a maximum protection and access to justice for asylum seekers, recognized refugees and other categories of persons under international protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and victims of human trafficking, ensuring the full access to their rights via the provision of free legal aid and information campaigns. |

Project Name | Support to EU support for the implementation of the Integrated Border Management Strategy for Bosnia and Hezegovina (2006/120289) |

Location | Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Implementation period | May 2006 – April 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.018.016 / € 1.000.000 |

Funding Programme | CARDS |

Responsible DG | DEL Bosnia and Herzegovina |

Description | EU support to the Indirect Taxation Agency (ITA), State Border Service, Veterinary and phyto-sanitary and market inspectorates by providing training, study tours and workshops, revision of legislation, and setting up a joint analysis centre. |

Croatia

Project Name | Protection of Asylum seekers in the Republic of Croatia and Regio (2005/103578) |

Location | Croatia |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Croatian Law Centre |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.274.842,27 / € 1.000.000 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Strengthening the protection in CRO and region (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro) by developing asylum system consistent with international standards. |

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Project Name | Enhancement of the asylum management system (2003/01/08) |

Location | The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |

Implementation period | April 2006 – December 2006 |

Implementing Partner | Transtec (BE) |

Budget/EC contribution | € 160.000 / € 160.000 |

Funding Programme | CARDS 2003 |

Responsible DG | ELARG |

Description | The programme provides short-term technical assistance in the field of asylum regarding the definition of operational procedures on asylum and the design of an IT platform for the relevant line ministries. The aim of the project is to enhance the asylum management system in the country. |

Project Name | Construction of reception centre for asylum seekers (2002/01/14) |

Location | The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |

Implementation period | February 2005 – December 2006 |

Implementing Partner | GD Granit AD Skopje (MK) |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.850.000 / € 1.850.000 |

Funding Programme | CARDS 2002 |

Responsible DG or EC Delegation | ELARG |

Description | The project aims to construct a reception centre for asylum seekers. The centre will be located in the vicinity of Skopje and will have an administrative building for registration and administration of asylum seekers and several buildings for hosting asylum seekers. It will be able to host up to 150 persons, but the design includes possible future extension for up to 300 people. |

Project Name | Development of immigration and asylum strategy, legislation and action plan (2002/01/14; 2003/01/08) |

Location | The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |

Implementation period | February 2004 – December 2005 |

Implementing Partner | Charles Kendall & Partners Ltd (UK); B&S Europe (BE) |

Budget/EC contribution | € 160.000 / € 160.000 – CARDS 2002; € 1.000.000 / € 1.000.000 – CARDS 2003 |

Funding Programme | CARDS 2002 - 2003 |

Responsible DG or EC Delegation | ELARG |

Description | The programme provided technical assistance and training to develop and implement the National Action Plan for Migration and Asylum. The TA team also provided amendments to primary and secondary legislation pertaining to the new Law on Asylum as well as assisted in the development of the new Law on the Movement and Residence of Foreigners. In the framework of the programme, a new project proposal has been launched that will look into the enhancement of the asylum management system in the country. |

Serbia[11]

Project Name | Building an Asylum structure in Serbia and Montenegro (2003/HLWG/046) |

Location | Serbia and Montenegro |

Implementation period | October 2004 – October 2006 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 762.936,02 / € 530.890,77 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 - HLWG |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | This UNHCR project was designed to assist the authorities in setting up an asylum structure. This implies defining competencies and responsibilities on asylum within the current constitutional framework; Adopting an asylum law at the state level; Putting a functioning body in charge of asylum seekers and refugees; Setting up a fair RSD (Refugee Determination Status) process; Establishing reception centres. The project target is to set up the initial phases of a functioning protection mechanism; a first step, which targets the achievement of the adoption of Refugee legislation and the establishment of reception centres. In March 2005, the asylum law of the SGC at the state level was adopted, but remains incomplete, despite active lobbying during the formulation of the law. Negotiations on defining the best location for the reception centres in Serbia and in Montenegro are ongoing. The target is to have a centre in Serbia with a capacity of accommodating 200 people and of 110 people minimum in Montenegro. |

Project Name | Building an Asylum structure in Serbia and Montenegro (2005/103439) |

Location | Serbia and Montenegro |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 872.507,41 / € 698.005,92 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Continuation of assistance to Serbia and Montenegro to develop their asylum structures. |

Project Name | Employed, Empowered – Serbia (2006/120-073) |

Location | Serbia |

Implementation period | November 2006 – November 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Stichting Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe |

Budget/EC contribution | € 699.834 / € 559.867 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The specific objective of the project is to support the durable reintegration of refugees, IDPs and returnees into society by researching solutions enabling them to build up sustainable livelihoods for themselves. |

Project Name | Support to the process of readmission through sustainable reintegration of returnees from Western Europe to Serbia and Montenegro (2006/120-168) |

Location | Serbia and Montenegro |

Implementation period | January 2006 – June 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Kentro Anaptyxis kai Ekpaidefsis Evropaiki Prooptiki |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.750.404,66 / €1.339.059,56 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Overall objective of the action is support to the process of readmission through sustainable reintegration of returnees from Western Europe to Serbia and Montenegro. |

Turkey

Project Name | Support to the Turkish Immigration authorities in the area of asylum (2001/HLWG/115) |

Location | Turkey |

Implementation period | June 2002- November 2004 |

Implementing Partner | Bundesamt für die Anerkennung ausländischer Flüchtlinge (BAFL), Germany. |

Budget/EC contribution | € 577.800, 50 / € 457.628,00 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 – HLWG |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | The aim of this project implemented by the German Bundesamt für die Anerkennung ausländischer Flüchtlinge (BAFL) was to promote partnership with Turkey on migration policy in order to contribute to a better control and prevention of migration flows and to help to combat illegal migration by establishing an effective asylum system. It helped to develop an efficient and balanced migration administration in all fields, in particular the development and establishment of an asylum system, corresponding to the EU acquis. This project has also contributed to a certain extent to the progress in the planning of the new national asylum system and implementation of the EU acquis. |

Project Name | Development of the asylum system in Turkey (2001/HLWG/126 and 2002/HLWG/031) |

Location | Turkey |

Implementation period | April 2002 – May 2005 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 969.417.47; € 775.533.98 (2001/HLWG/126) € 900.420,73 / € 596.800,00 (2002/HLWG/031) |

Funding Programme | B7-667 – HLWG |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | The project initially focused on reinforcing the UNHCR branch to carry out the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and building an information system. It also commissioned studies on the best practice of countries that could be a model for Turkey, organised training of officials and strengthened the temporary procedure. It enabled the reduction of the back-log in the management of asylum files and enhanced co-operation between EU MS officials and Turkish officials. The second project covered needs for infrastructure, training and information and aimed at to strengthening the asylum procedure, train government officials and disseminate best practices. It also looked for a deeper involvement of the civil society. |

Project Name | Refugee Support Program – Turkey (2006/120-126) |

Location | Turkey |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2009 |

Implementing Partner | Helsinki Yurttaslar Dernegi |

Budget/EC contribution | € 732.340,36 / € 585.854,11 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The Refugee Support Program” of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly aims to develop legislation and national practices as regards international protection and asylum in Turkey, ensuring observance of the principle of "non refoulement" and to improve Turkey's capacity to cope with asylum seekers and refugees. Within this broader objective, the specific objective of the action is to improve asylum seekers' and refugees' access to international protection by improving their reception and detention conditions in Turkey through the provision of comprehensive legal and psychological services; public legal education and refugee empowerment; capacity building for civil society organizations, professionals and government agencies; and lobbying for progressive change in law and policy reflecting refugee rights under EC and international law. |

Project Name | Pilot Refugee Application Centre (PRAC) and Screening Unit (SU) (2006/120281) |

Location | Turkey |

Implementation period | January 2007 – June 2009 |

Implementing Partner | Immigration and Naturalisation Service the Netherlands |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.753.806 / € 997.915,61 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Implementation of the National Action Plan on asylum and migration. Specific objective: The setting up of a Pilot Refugee Application Centre in Konya including a Screening Unit in Van. |

1.2 European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries in Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus

Regional Eastern Europe

Project Name | Dialogue and Technical capacity building in migration management: Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan (2002/ HLWG/004) |

Location | Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan |

Implementation period | March 2003 – September 2005 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.488.765,15 / € 1.210.654 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project aimed at fostering the dialogue between the Russian Federation and the Central Asiatic Republics, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the field of border and migration management. Meetings between officers of the involved countries, and a study tour, aimed at facilitating coordination, at sharing information and disseminating best practices were organised. Some focus was also placed on improving the management of some segments of the Russian-Kazakh border, where some equipment was delivered and a study tour was organised. The project also assisted the voluntary repatriation of some migrants. |

Project Name | Re-direction of the Budapest process activities to the CIS region (2003/HLWG/064 ) |

Location | Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan |

Implementation period | March 2004 – July 2005 |

Implementing Partner | ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 760.383,60 / € 587.183,96 |

Funding Programme | B7-667 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | This project's aim was to collect in a comprehensive and comparable manner information and analysis of irregular flows of migration within, from and through the CIS region. The project sought also to establish a network of senior officials dealing with irregular migration, in order to pave the way for a structured dialogue in the CIS region. The CIS countries are now brought into the framework of the Budapest process and are more aware of migration policies in the EU, by attending conferences with officials from other CIS countries, the EU Member States, the European Commission and international organisations. |

Project Name | Towards sustainable partnerships for the effective governance of labour migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia (2006/120-072) |

Location | Russian Federation, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan |

Implementation period | December 2006 – December 2009 |

Implementing Partner | ILO - International Labour Organization |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2.433.508 / € 1.945.105 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project focuses on key labour migration issues that are rising quickly on political agendas there and are essential components for stability and sustainable and equitable economic growth. There are five specific objectives: (1) To develop practical methods for assessing and forecasting labour market requirements with a view to improving migration governance; (2) to promote decent work and enhance the protection of migrant workers’ rights; (3) to develop a system of earned regularisation and introduce sound regularisation policies and procedures; (4) to contribute to the productive utilization of the region’s human resources by developing systems for the portability of qualifications and reducing bureaucratic obstacles to recruitment; and (5) to develop policies that enhance the positive impact of migration on development in origin countries. |

Project Name | The East-Central European Cross Border Co-operation Enhancement process (The Söderköping Process) (2003/HLWG/009 and 2005/103489) |

Location | Belarus , Moldova, Ukraine |

Implementation period | May 2004 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Swedish Migration Board, UNHCR, IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 997.500 / € 762.488,00 (2003/HLWG/009) € 1.634.873,16 / € 1.307.898,40 (2005/103489) |

Funding Programme | B7-667 – HLWG and AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | JLS and EuropeAid |

Description | This process provides training and a forum for comparing national experiences and disseminating best practices and for peer pressure mainly, but not exclusively, on asylum management, between WNIS countries, some EU MSs (with the Swedish Migration Board in a leading role), the UNHCR and the IOM. A Secretariat is now based in Kyiv. |

Project Name | The protection of refugees asylum seekers and forced migrants (2005/103619) |

Location | Belarus , Moldova, Ukraine, Russia |

Implementation period | December 2005 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | European Council on Refugees and Exiles - ECRE |

Budget/EC contribution | € 705.331 / € 529.705 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Improve the implementation in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia of national and international refugee and human rights instruments – leading to increased security and protection for refugees. |

Project Name | Elimination of human trafficking from Moldova and Ukraine through labour market based measures (2006/120-079) |

Location | Moldova and Ukraine |

Implementation period | November 2006 – October 2008 |

Implementing Partner | ILO and ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 935.615,97 / € 748.492,78 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project offers a long-term perspective against trafficking in human beings in Moldova and Ukraine by addressing gaps in the current implementation of National Action Plans against Human Trafficking (NAP). Designed to strengthen national capacity in implementing NAP, this proposal aims in particular to involve labour market actors in prevention, reintegration and prosecution activities. The purpose is not only to support the prosecution and assistance to victims but also in particular to increase transparency, fairness and efficiency in the labour market as concerns job placements. |

Project Name | Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Ukraine and Moldova (2006/120-250) |

Location | Moldova and Ukraine |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2.160.346,02 / € 1.728.276,82 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | IOM will run 6 shelters for victims, promote information campaigns with focus on schools, carry out training for law enforcement agencies, including judges, and facilitate their cooperation with NGOs. |

Belarus

Project Name | Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the Republic of Belarus (2002/29979) |

Location | Belarus |

Implementation period | September 2002 – November 2005 |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | € 900.000 / € 900.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The project contributed to the fight against trafficking in human beings in Belarus. |

Project Name | Enhancing Border Management in Belarus - BOMBEL 1 (2005/100-530) & BOMBEL 2 (2006/104-281) |

Location | Belarus |

Implementation period | March 2005 – December 2006 September 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | € 4.721.000 / € 4.500.000 (BOMBEL 1) € 9.066.000 / € 8.800.000 (BOMBEL 2) |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | Through the projects the EC funds a number of study visits and trainings and seminars which are organised with the involvement of EU MSs experts. Two European standard accommodation centres for irregular migrants (in Brest and in Pinsk) and a separate one for asylum seekers in the city of Pinsk have been / will be established, a dog training centre has been upgraded and equipped with modern technology, and various border control and surveillance equipment has been supplied. Furthermore the BOMBEL projects aim at modernising the equipment used by border troops in compliance with the EU standards, through the provision of computer-aided equipment and technology, motor-cars and lorries; engineering, technical, communication, radiation-measuring and other pieces of equipment; communication instrument, with the aim in particular of increasing the mobility of border troops along the green border and their capacity of surveillance on trains and at the border posts. |

Project Name | Strengthening Migration Management in Belarus - MIGRABEL (2006/104300) |

Location | Belarus |

Implementation period | June 2006 – May 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 775.000 / € 700.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | Through this project the EC is contributing to establishing a travel document issuing and control system which will meet latest international standards and comply with biometric requirements. Moreover, a national database will be developed and will be able to store and process biometric data. Beneficiaries are the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Border Guard Committee. |

Project Name | Strengthening Protection Capacity in Belarus (2006/120221) |

Location | Belarus |

Implementation period | December 2006 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 719.628,50 / € 575.702,80 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The overall objective of the action is to facilitate the development of the asylum system in Belarus. The specific objective is to develop an effective referral system in order to ensure the respect of the principle of non-refoulement. |

Additionally, under CBC 2006 Budget, Belarus is supposed to receive an additional €14 million assistance aimed at improving border controls through provision of equipment for border surveillance and the establishment of fibre optic cable networks to central authorities and between selected border crossing points. This latter component will facilitate smooth border and customs clearance thus reducing waiting hours at border crossing points and at the same time ensuring and improving security controls through modern data networks and/or control equipment. Furthermore technical assistance will also be offered, possibly through a twinning.

Moldova

Project Name | Combating trafficking in women (2002/30263) |

Location | Moldova |

Implementation period | September 2002 – June 2004 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 600.000 / € 600.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | This project aimed at providing law enforcement agencies with technical support and training as well as promoting cross-border cooperation, raising awareness among potential victims about the risks of being trafficked, assisting the actual victims by facilitating repatriation, offering medical and psychological cares and hospitality in a shelter. |

Project Name | Capacity building and technical cooperation for Moldovan border officials (TACIS/2003/077575) |

Location | Moldova |

Implementation period | December 2003 – November 2005 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.100.000 / € 900.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | This project aimed at providing training, technical assistance, and supply of equipment to border guards and other border officials in Moldova, with a particular view to enhance capacity of the Ungheni Border Guard Training Centre by providing physical facilities and equipment as well as by assisting in curricula development. |

Project Name | IOM Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Trafficking (Chisinau, Moldova): Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reintegration through Comprehensive Care (TACIS/2004/72590) |

Location | Moldova |

Implementation period | December 2004 – February 2006 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 308.000 / €308.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The project set up a Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Trafficking (Chisinau, Moldova), focussed on the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims through comprehensive Care. |

Project Name | Enhancing border control management in the republic of Moldova (TACIS/2004/027521) |

Location | Moldova |

Implementation period | December 2004 – December 2005 |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.850.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The project aimed at strengthening border control capacities at selected Moldovan border crossing points through the supply of equipment and training. |

Project Name | Strengthening Migration Management in Moldova - MIGRAMOL (2006/104300) |

Location | Moldova |

Implementation period | June 2006 – May 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 775.000 / € 700.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The aim of this project is to improve migration management capacity with a particular focus on the treatment of irregular migrants. The core activity under the project is to ensure international standards in the accommodation of irregular migrants with the refurbishment of an accommodation facility, to develop a health care system (including the creation of a health post), in order to provide medical assistance to irregular migrants held, to train staff and develop norms and guidelines for the management of an accommodation facility in accordance with the best international standards and most particularly with the standards set by the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the Committee for Prevention of the Torture. |

Project Name | Improvement of Border Controls at the Moldovan-Ukrainian State Border - BOMMOLUK 1 (2006/125442) |

Location | Moldova and Ukraine |

Implementation period | September 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | € 3.250.000 / € 3.000.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The objective of this project is to build up appropriate and institutional capacity in Moldova and Ukraine to ensure effective border and customs controls and border surveillance with particular attention to the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border. |

Project Name | EU Border Assistance Mission to Ukraine and Moldova - EUBAM (RRM and TACIS) |

Location | Ukraine and Moldova |

Implementation period | November 2005 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | RRM: € 4.000.000 TACIS: € 24.200.000 (not all yet contracted) |

Funding Programme | RRM and TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The objective of this project is to contribute to the enhancement of the overall border and customs management capacities of Moldova and Ukraine border officials and to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Transniestria conflict. The deployment of the EUBAM mission along the Moldovan-Ukrainian border as well as along the Moldovan internal/administrative boundary was initiated with particular attention to the Transnistrian border sector, which the Moldovan authorities can not effectively manage. 17 EU Member States provide significant financial contribution to EUBAM's activities through the secondment of border police and customs personnel whose salaries are being paid by the EU Member States' administration. |

Project Name | Beyond Poverty Alleviation: Developing a Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Framework for Leveraging Migrant Remittances for Entrepreneurial Growth in Moldova (2006/120234) |

Location | Moldova |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM – International Organisation for Migration |

Budget/EC contribution | € 997.700 / € 794.665,38 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | This project aims at maximising the positive effects of migration on development, by promoting the cheaper transfer and providing advice for the most rentable use of migrants remittances in view of pro-development projects. |

Additionally, under CBC 2006 Budget Moldova is supposed to receive an additional €12 million assistance aimed at improving border controls through provision of equipment for border surveillance and the establishment of fibre optic cable networks to central authorities and between selected border crossing points. This latter component will facilitate smooth border and customs clearance thus reducing waiting hours at border crossing points and at the same time ensuring and improving security controls through modern data networks and/or control equipment. Furthermore technical assistance will also be offered, possibly through a twinning.

A TACIS RAP 2005 allocation of €6.6 million will enable to complete the demarcation of the Ukrainian- Moldovan border (the project will concentrate on the Southern border in front of the Black sea and on the Transnestrian sector, as the remaining parts were already ensured by the Ukrainian and Moldovan State Funds) and to set joint border posts.

Ukraine

Project Name | Fight against trafficking in human beings-Ukraine (2003/69572) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | December 2003- June 2006 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.892.000 / € 1.892.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The project covered three areas in this regard: 1) prevention of trafficking through dissemination of information and increase of public awareness; 2) prosecution and criminalisation of trafficking and building up capacity of Ukrainian law enforcement and judicial authorities; 3) protection and reintegration of victims through assisting victims with legal, medical and psychological help, shelter and micro-grants as an income generating basis. |

Project Name | Reinforcing the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine's Human Resources Management System (TACIS/2005/115-592) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | December 2005 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | International Organization for Migration |

Budget/EC contribution | € 4.341.000 / € 4.000.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | DEL Ukraine |

Description | Support to the State Border Guard Service's strategy towards an EU-type border police / law enforcement agency aimed at reforming the human resources management system (legislation, staff recruitment, staff training, career development).By the involvement of Hungarian and Polish border guards, it aims at improving human resources management, starting from recruitment, the development of training strategies, plans and curricula in line with EU standards and requirements, and being completed with a career development programme for border guard personnel. The programme will support the transition of a military-type structured entity towards a European-type law enforcement entity. |

Project Name | “Establishment of migration management in Zakarpattya in Ukraine” (2003/HLWG/039) and “Enhancing Capacities in the Area of Protection and Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Zakarpattya /Western Ukraine” (2006/120-173) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | June 2004 – June 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Osterreichische Caritaszentrale |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.627.823,77 / € 1.302.259,02 (2003/HLWG/039) € 874.928,04/ € 699.942,43 (2006/120-173) |

Funding Programme | HLWG B7-667 AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | JLS and EuropeAid |

Description | The projects have a humanitarian component, improving the living conditions of apprehended migrants in Zakarpattya. In addition, the activities contribute to the improvement of counselling, protection and registration of refugees while being detained and during all phases of their asylum procedure as well as to the improvement of cooperation and exchange of migration authorities and NGOs specialised in the field. |

Project Name | Monitor and promote the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees and migrants |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementing Partner | Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection |

Budget/EC contribution | € 78.000 |

Responsible DG/Del | EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) |

Description | This project is implemented with the aim to monitor and promote the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees and migrants with focus on the regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Zakarpattya and Lviv. |

Project Name | Assistance to the Legal and Administrative Reforms in Ukraine in the Sphere of Migration and Refugees’ Protection According to the Norms and Standards of the European Union (2004/87047 ) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | July 2006 – March 2007 |

Implementing Partner | Ludwig Boltzmann Institute |

Budget/EC contribution | € 500.000 / € 500.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Kiev |

Description | The project's objective is to increase the competence of the staff of Ukrainian institutions in asylum and asylum related matters and the inter-institutional cooperation of the institutions involved by establishing internal working relations. |

Project Name | Strengthening Asylum and Protection Capacity in Ukraine by Enhancing the Capacity of Governmental and Civil Society Stakeholders in a Participatory Approach and Cross-sector Co-operation (2006/120-176) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Dansk Flygtningehjaelp |

Budget/EC contribution | € 534397,23 / € 427517,78 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | To ensure that the Ukrainian asylum and refugee system is able to function in a transparent manner and in accordance with principles based on human rights and rule of law and in a participatory approach with civil society capacities. |

Project Name | Strengthening capacities and cooperation in the identification of forged and falsified documents in Ukraine (2006/120-195) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 783.161,25 / € 626.400,6 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | To contribute to an increased effectiveness in the fight against illegal migration by the Ukrainian authorities. |

Project Name | Capacity building of Migration management: Ukraine Phase I and Phase II (2004/096-462 and 2006/124-449) |

Location | Ukraine |

Implementation period | March 2005 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 4.204.672 / €3.781.505 (2004/096-462) € 3.074.474 / € 2.767.000 (2006/124-449) |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | DEL Ukraine |

Description | The activities aim at enhancing the capacity of the Government of Ukraine (GoU) to manage the migration flows and control the illegal movement of migrants to and through the territory of Ukraine. The projects seeks to do so by carrying out various interlinked actions, i.e. an assessment of migration situation, the development of best practices, based upon international standards and conventions, the refurbishment of accommodation centres for detained migrants and the piloting of a voluntary return programme, and to support the GoU’s efforts to comply with and ensure European best practices and humanitarian standards set by the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the CPT as well as the harmonisation with the EU acquis communautaire. |

Several projects were funded by TACIS (from RAP 2000 until NAP 2005) in view of providing the border guards of Ukraine with better equipment to control the green border and the land border crossing points (walky-talkies, radios for long distance communication including data transmission, 4 wheels cars, night-visors, metal detectors, passport readers, computers, software for data registration etc.) along the entire Northern and Eastern border with Belarus and Russia , and the South-West border with Moldova for an overall amount of approximately €20 million.

Under the TACIS NAP 2006, an allocation of €5 million (within a larger project addressing also Customs Service) is available to promote further improvement of the quality of Border Guards capacity of surveillance and alignment to the EU/Schengen standards. Both through this allocation and an additional €4 million which is available under the CBC programme (2006 budget) it will be possible to procure additional border equipment.

Regional Southern Caucasus

Project Name | An integrated approach to promoting legal migration through national capacity building (2005/103475) |

Location | South Caucasus |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 971.747 / € 777.397 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project contributed to the creation in the three countries of Migration Resource Centers, where information about potential and actual migrants are collected for the benefit of employers and students, and potential migrants can find information about the rules of legal migration and the risks of illegal migration. MRCs were established in 2006 in Yerevan (Armenia), Baku and Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Gurjaani (Georgia). |

Project Name | Towards sustainable partnerships for the effective governance of labour migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia (2006/120-072) |

Location | Russian Federation, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan |

Implementation period | December 2006 – November 2009 |

Implementing Partner | ILO - International Labour Organization |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2.433.508 / €1.945.105 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | This project aims at promoting a better management of legal economic migration and at increasing the level of protection of migrants' rights through seminars, trainings and legal advice in several NIS. In particular in the Russian federation it aims at developing practical methods for assessing and forecasting labour market requirements with a view to improving migration governance, as well as a system of earned regularisation and introduce sound regularisation policies and procedures. |

Project Name | NGO and Governmental Cooperation Across the South Caucasus to Develop a Joint Response to Trafficking in Women and Children (2006/118051) |

Location | Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia |

Implementing Partner | Eesti Naisuurimus Ja Teabekeskus Mtu (Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Center) |

Budget/EC contribution | €600.000 / € 480.000 |

Funding Programme | EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project’s goal is to raise the qualification of law enforcement staff, social services and journalists. It will establish links between these actors and establish regional referral mechanisms. The project will carry out a public awareness campaign about trafficking. It will carry out regional research and regular monitoring of the situation. |

Project Name | Development of a comprehensive anti-trafficking response in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (2006/104772) |

Location | Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | ILO with ICMPD, OSCE |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.874.989,76 / € 1.500.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | This regional project aims at contributing to the progressive reduction of trafficking in human beings in the SC countries through capacity building and empowerment of actual and potential victims. It includes revision of National strategies and support to their implementation, awareness raising, strengthening capacity of national authorities and improve identification, protection and reintegration of victims. |

Armenia

Project Name | Support to Migration Policy Development and Relevant Capacity Building in Armenia (2006/120-233) |

Location | Armenia |

Implementation period | December 2006 – November 2009 |

Implementing Partner | The British Council |

Budget/EC contribution | € 845.607 / € 676.485,6 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | 1. Raising people’s awareness on issues, costs, risks, rights and responsibilities associated with migration; contribute to the development of public demand for an improved legal framework f 2. Create a structure responsible for providing advice and reintegration assistance to Armenian nationals returning from abroad. Material help will be envisaged, if at all possible, in order to further minimise the risk of repeated emigration. 3. Assisting state agencies in the process of drafting legislation and regulating migration. |

Azerbaijan

Project Name | Establishment of Integrated Border Management Model at the Southern Border of Azerbaijan (TACIS/2006/109-609) |

Location | Azerbaijan |

Implementation period | June 2006 – June 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2.185.799 / € 1.987.090 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project will facilitate an enhanced cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the fight against border-related crimes, support the establishment and the activities of a Border Guards Training School, and contribute to procure border equipment and to improve border infrastructure. The project aims to pilot an Integrated Border Management Model at the Southern Border of Azerbaijan, in an area comprising 30 km of border intersection with Iran, including the international Border Crossing Point at Bilasuvar. The latter is the fastest land connection between Baku and Iran, and with the Nakhichevan exclave of Azerbaijan, and is the longest border Azerbaijan shares with any other country. |

Georgia

Project Name | Toward Durable Re-integration Mechanisms in Georgia (2006/120-074) |

Location | Georgia |

Implementation period | January 2007 – October 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Dansk Flygtningehjaelp |

Budget/EC contribution | € 639.352,80 / € 511.354,37 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The Georgian Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation (MRA) capacitated to implement its mandatory function of supporting re-integration of returning migrants, rejected asylum seekers and other displaced groups MRA capacitated to take a co-ordinating function on issues related to re-integration of returning migrants and rejected asylum seekers vis-à-vis the relevant Georgian state actors and European Governments engaged in bilateral support to re-integration. |

Project Name | Prevention of trafficking in human beings, monitoring and support to the implementation of the National Action Plan on counter trafficking (2006/122530) |

Location | Georgia |

Implementation period | September 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | Peoples Harmonious Development Society Association |

Budget/EC contribution | € 77.580 / € 50.000 |

Funding Programme | EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | This micro-grant is supporting the fight against trafficking in human beings in Georgia through prevention and development of institutional mechanisms for prosecution of trafficking and protection of trafficking victims as well as through the monitoring and support to the implementation of the Plan of Action against Trafficking. |

Project Name | Contribute to the transformation of the Georgian Border Guards into a civilian agency under the Ministry of Interior. (2006/) |

Location | Georgia |

Implementation period | January 2006 – July 2007 |

Implementing Partner | Finnish Border Guards |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.000.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC Delegation Tblisi |

Description | The project aims to establish and equip a Border Police faculty in the Georgian Police Academy. An additional €1 million available under TACIS NAP 2004 and should be used to continue with assistance to the Georgian Border Guard Faculty for one more year, contract to be signed before July 2007. |

1.3 Russian Federation

Project Name | “House for Asylum seekers and Refugees in Saint Petersburg” (2003/HLWG/076) and “Complex action for improvement of refugees reception system in St. Petersburg – Russia”(2006/120-135) |

Location | Russian Federation |

Implementation period | March 2005 – October 2008 |

Implementing Partner | St. Petersburg Centre for International Cooperation of the Red Cross |

Budget/EC contribution | € 897.500 / € 698.740,00 (2003/HLWG/076) € 664.856,20 / €502.764,26 (2006/120-135) |

Funding Programme | HLWG B7-667 and AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | JLS and EuropeAid |

Description | The project aims to increase the capacities of St Petersburg in the reception, registration, documentation and integration of refugees and asylum seekers and the protection of their rights by means of supplying them with legal, psychological, medical and social assistance and temporary settlement in a special building. |

Project Name | Migration Rights: Network of Legal Assistance to Refugees and Forced Migrants in Russian Regions (2003/HLWG/082 and 2006/120-166) |

Location | Russian Federation |

Implementation period | January 2005 – December 2009 |

Implementing Partner | Memorial Human Rights Centre |

Budget/EC contribution | € 762.675,50 / € 1.042.672,82 (2003/HLWG/082) € 1.756.092,84 / 1.404.874,27 (2006/120-166) |

Funding Programme | HLWG and AENEAS |

Responsible DG | JLS and EuropeAid |

Description | The projects foresee at providing legal counselling and representing forced migrants in the courts, the development of the asylum system in the Russian Federation, establishing a system of effective international protection for forced migrants in Russia and promoting respect for international standards and rights for refugees, stateless persons, IDPs and forced and labour migrants. |

Project Name | Assistance to the Government of the Russian Federation in Establishing a Legal and Administrative Framework for the Development and Implementation of Readmission Agreements (2006/120-282) |

Location | Russian Federation |

Implementation period | February 2007 – January 2009 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.756.092,84 / € 1.404.874,27 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | With this project, the EC provides assistance to the Russian Federal Migration Service in its preparation towards the implementation of the readmission agreement with the EC. The project aims more specifically to upgrade the treatment of readmitted illegal migrants that are nationals of third countries, through promoting the creation of a model centre in Pskov and disseminating information on best practices in this field (including on assisted voluntary returns). |

Project Name | Prevention of Human Trafficking (2005/115237) |

Location | Russian Federation |

Implementation period | March 2006 – August 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 4.444.444 / € 4.000.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC DEL Moscow |

Description | The main objective of the project is to combat trafficking in human beings in the Russian Federation as a country of origin, transit and destination – by: (i) improving the legislative framework and the State policies regarding human trafficking, including the national capacity to assess and measure this phenomenon in Russia; (ii) strengthening the capacity of the relevant law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking; raising awareness amongst the risk group, general public and relevant Russian authorities, NGOs and diplomatic missions of foreign states; and (iii) building the capacity of the national authorities and local NGO networks to protect and reintegrate victims of trafficking. |

2. Other regions

2.1 Eastern Mediterranean ENP partner countries (Syria, Lebanon and Jordan) and Middle Eastern countries (Iran and Iraq)

Regional

Project Name | International migration from Middle East and North Africa (2005/103579) |

Location | Middle East and North Africa |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | World Bank |

Budget/EC contribution | € 916.963 / € 733.570 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Identify and support the implementation of projects, policies, regional arrangements, and institutional reforms that will maximise the benefits of international migration flows and reduce their costs. |

Project Name | Management of asylum and migration in North Africa and improving protection of for asylum-seekers and refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, with focus on Iraqis’ (2006/126-820) |

Location | Middle East and North Africa |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | UNHCR |

Budget/EC contribution | € 5.000.000 / € 4.000.000 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | €1 m of the total budget is reserved to strengthen the protection mechanisms in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, with particular focus on Iraqi refugees and asylum-seekers. |

Project Name | Enhancing civil society participation in human rights management of migration (2005/103558) |

Location | Middle East and North Africa |

Implementation period | December 2005 – March 2008 |

Implementing Partner | Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network -EMHRN |

Budget/EC contribution | € 669.499 / € 535.598 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | This project supports the work of NGOs dealing with migrants and asylum seekers in all the Maghreb and Mashrek countries, including Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. |

Lebanon

Project Name | Legal protection to migrant workers and asylum seekers in Lebanon (2001/50530) |

Location | Lebanon |

Implementation period | April 2003 – March 2007 |

Implementing Partner | Caritas |

Budget/EC contribution | € 761.300 / € 761.300 |

Funding Programme | MEDA |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The overall objective of this project is the protection of the human and legal rights of migrant workers and asylum-seekers in Lebanon. By the end of its implementation period: 1. The existing legal protections for migrants’ rights will be enforced in the courts of Lebanon and migrants will have access to the legal and social counselling necessary to take advantage of these protections; 2. Migrants and asylum-seekers will be more capable of protecting themselves from abuse, exploitation and detention by understanding and using the legal process and their social networks; 3. The Lebanese public will be informed of the legal and human rights of the migrants working and living among them and of the nature and extent of the abuse and exploitation they experience; 4. The official administrative instructions and general practices regulating the status and treatment of migrant workers, especially female household workers, will provide greater protection for their human and legal rights. |

2.2 Central Asia

Regional

Project Name | Border Management in Central Asia (BOMCA) |

Location | Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan |

Implementation period | From 2003 - ongoing |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | € 13.600.000 (additional €12 million reserved) |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EC Delegation Almaty |

Description | The overall objectives of the programme are 1) to enhance security in Central Asia; 2) to reduce the flow of illicit traffic through the countries of the region; 3) to contribute to an increased flow of persons and legal goods across Central Asian borders. The specific objective of BOMCA is to strengthen the five countries' capacities in managing their borders in accordance with European best practices. The programme addresses all the issues related to border management, including improvement of relevant legislation, training, study tours, funding of infrastructures, supplying of equipment for upgrading of security at border crossing points, on certain parts of the green border of the countries and in selected airports. It supports as well training centres, facilitated networking and regional coordination. |

Project Name | Central Asian Labour Migration Programme (2006/131406) |

Location | Central Asia |

Implementation period | November 2006 – October 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.900.000 / € 1.700.000 |

Funding Programme | TACIS |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project supports in Kazakhstan the improvement of labour migration data and statistics, the development of a national labour migration strategy, capacity building for migration authorities, protection of migrants’ rights via NGOs, while in sending countries like Tajikistan, Kirghizstan and Uzbekistan it is aimed at better regulating and inspecting employment agencies, increasing information for would be migrants, enhancing capacities of national authorities to protect nationals working abroad. At regional level the project promotes raising awareness among decision makers and promotes coordination and dialogue. |

Tajikistan

Project Name | Enhancing Development Impact of Remittances and Promoting legal migration in Rural Communities. (2006/120-262) |

Location | Tajikistan |

Implementation period | January 2007 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 669.655 / 535.724 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | To enhance the development impact of labour migration and remittances in migrant sending areas through remittance-linked education and investment initiatives as well as promoting legal migration through information dissemination and training of community based entities on reality of labour migration. |

2.3 Asian countries of origin

As regards Asiatic countries, a big distinction is to be made between 1) actions providing material help to internally displaced people (IDPs) of countries in crisis situations or to its nationals having massively fled in a neighbouring country, which were carried out mainly through the "Aid to Uprooted People" budget line, and 2) actions more specifically addressing other aspects of migrations and in particular migrations towards the EU.

As concerns the "Aid to Uprooted People" budget line, there have been several large scale interventions concentrated in a few countries. Among them Afghanistan was a priority. €145.4 million was allocated between 2001 and 2006. Interventions aimed at facilitating return and reintegration of internally displaced Afghans or Afghans willing to repatriate in particular from Iran and Pakistan by facilitating land and houses recovery, access to information and employment, removal of various legal and material obstacles. The programme also supported the functioning of the Afghanistan Comprehensive Solutions Unit (ACSU), whose task is to steer the overall collection of information on Afghans abroad and promotion and coordination of their return and reintegration back home, while coordinating among all the State agencies and the actors involved into this process.

Furthermore, the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line mobilised between 2001 and 2004 up to €3.8 million to support Bhutanese refugees in Nepal . In the same period, €26 million were allocated to help Burmese refugees in Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand. Additional €18 million were allocated under the budgets 2005 and 2006 of that budget line.

In Indonesia €15.7 million were mobilised by the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line, with focus on Sulawesi and Timor populations.

The "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line mobilised €8.5 million between 2001 and 2004 for projects implemented by UNHCR in the Philippines aimed at assisting internally displaced people, with special focus on Mindanao. At the same time, in Sri Lanka the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line provided up to €15.5 million between 2001 and 2004 for projects implemented by UNHCR aimed at assisting internally displaced people.

Furthermore many more interventions of a purely humanitarian nature were promoted by ECHO.

Project Name | Regional Dialogue and Program on facilitating managed and legal migration between Asia and the EU (2005/103523) |

Location | Asia |

Implementation period | December 2005 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.060.728 / € 848.583 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | Develop legal migration and enhance regional dialogue and cooperation in facilitating managed migration from Asia to the EU. |

Project Name | Asian Programme of the Governance of Labour Migration (2005/103503) |

Location | Countries of the Mekong region, China, Korea, Japan and South Asia |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2008 |

Implementing Partner | ILO and UNIFEM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2.447.840 / € 1.955.335 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The project aims to promote active dialogue and cooperation for enhanced gender and rights-based management of labour migration among countries in the Asian region, and thereby minimize exploitative and abusive treatment of migrant workers. The project contributes to the adoption of appropriate policies and the enactment of enabling laws, the training of labour administrators, improving information systems for decision-making, and promoting bilateral agreements and regular consultations among the countries in the region. |

Bangladesh

Project Name | Anti-Trafficking of Human Beings within the Police Reform Programme (Asia/2006/124252) |

Location | Bangladesh |

Implementation period | January 2007 – October 2009 |

Implementing Partner | UNDP |

Budget/EC contribution | €13.700.000 / € 2.000.000 |

Funding Programme | ALA |

Responsible DG | DEL Dhaka |

Description | Within the framework of a much larger (13.7m€) reform programme for the Bangladeshi police funded by DFID and UNPD, the EC funds one component which will focus on introducing a victim oriented approach, and should provide details on how the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police will improve the capacity of the police to investigate THB, on the one hand by ensuring that witnesses are treated in such a way that they feel safe and comfortable enough by supporting the investigations and on the other hand to have the capacity to investigate cases without being fully dependent on victim-witnesses. The project also strives to increase access to justice to victims of human trafficking, create understanding among police officers how to deal with trafficking cases, and how and when to work together closely with other Ministries, the NGO community, and international organisations to ensure best possible referral of the victims. |

China

Project Name | Capacity Building For Migration Management in China (2006/120-244) |

Location | Philippines |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 2499548,85 / € 1999639,08 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2005 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | IOM is supported to contribute to the reduction of illegal migration from, into and through the PRC, including to the EU; to support the enhancement of the national capacity for migration management in the PRC; to contribute to building a sustainable and viable network of partnerships and cooperation in the area of migration between the administration of the PRC and EU MS and to increase mutual understanding and knowledge of respective approaches to migration and migration management between the PRC and the EU. |

Project Name | MIGRAMACAO (2005/103671) |

Location | Macao |

Implementation period | January 2006 – December 2007 |

Implementing Partner | Cabinet of Secretary for Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region |

Budget/EC contribution | € 626.131 / € 500.904,80 |

Funding Programme | AENEAS 2004 |

Responsible DG | EuropeAid |

Description | The aim of the MIGRAMACAU action is to ensure entities of Macao more effective management in all aspects of migration flows, including the prevention and combating of illegal migration and trafficking of human beings through the cooperation with regional countries and the coordination with the EC. |

Philippines

Project Name | Philippines Border Management Project (2005/113-343) |

Location | Philippines |

Implementation period | January 2006 – January 2009 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 5.145.000 / € 4.900.000 |

Funding Programme | ALA |

Responsible DG | DEL Manila |

Description | This project contributes to the efforts of the Government of the Philippines towards a more professional migration and border management in line with international norms and protocols. |

Project Name | “The Opportunity Card” (2003/HLWG/031) |

Location | Philippines |

Implementation period | June 2004 – December 2005 |

Implementing Partner | Opportunity International |

Budget/EC contribution | € 701.417,11 / € 530.055,00 |

Funding Programme | HLWG – B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | The project led by Opportunity International UK (an international network of microfinance organisations) aims to provide a remittance product for overseas Filipino workers to remit monies back to the Philippines. The product provides a secure and economically competitive means for remittances to be made and uses the HSBC (bank) Money transfer product which takes the form of a cash card to be held by the recipients of the remittance. The initial target is of 15,000 new cards. The aim was thus to increase the amount of remittances as a tool to alleviate poverty by making them more accessible, cost and time-effective and safe. |

Sri Lanka

Project Name | Possible Establishment of an Information Exchange System Field-Based Country of Origin Information System With Regard to Sri Lanka (2001/HLWG/122) |

Location | Sri Lanka |

Implementation period | January 2002 – April 2005 |

Implementing Partner | ICMPD |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.079.663,55; EU grant: € 863.731,00 |

Funding Programme | HLWG – B7-667 |

Responsible DG | JLS |

Description | The purpose of this project was to provide country of origin information to interested Governments when dealing with pre-departure return planning of Sri Lankan nationals and therefore facilitating a more successful integration of Sri Lankan national returnees. |

Project Name | Capacity Building in Migration Management and Sustainable Return and Reintegration in Sri Lanka (2001/HLWG/130, 2002/HLWG/002, 2003/HLWG/060, 2005/103522) |

Location | Sri Lanka |

Implementation period | December 2001 – November 2007 |

Implementing Partner | IOM |

Budget/EC contribution | € 1.353.141 / € 1.082.513 (2001/HLWG/130) € 600.000 / € 507.713,70 (2002/HLWG/002) € 1.115.397,90 / € 892.318,32 (2003/HLWG/060) € 2.341.830 / € 1.873.464 (2005/103522) |

Funding Programme | HLWG and AENEAS |

Responsible DG | JLS and EuropeAid |

Description | The EC’s support to Sri Lanka focuses at strengthening the capacity of Sri Lanka to manage migration, enhance regular migration, support assisted voluntary return and reintegration and foster economic relations and exchange of experience between Sri Lankan migrants and their home country. In addition, the four projects strived to build the capacity of the Sri Lankan government to reduce irregular migration into and through Sri Lanka, and a wide range of training activities were conducted, both within Sri Lanka as is the EU. |

Annex III: Overview of the migratory situation and flows from and in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU and statistics

The latest available data indicates that around 5.5 million migrants from countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions are residing legally in the EU, which represents nearly 30% of all resident third-country nationals. The most important countries of origin are Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Ukraine.

In terms of illegal immigration , and in comparison to migration from Africa, migration from the Eastern and South-Eastern regions is different in nature: the flows are more constant (there is no specific seasonal cycle), more diffuse (given the multiplicity of possible entry points and the fact that an important share of illegal immigration is due to persons who enter the EU legally but overstay their visa) and more under the control of networks connected with organised crime and involved in multiform criminal businesses.

As regards numbers, a rough analysis suggests that migration flows to the EU originating in neighbouring countries reached its peak at the end of the 1990s and that this is now stabilising if not slightly declining; this is a trend that is likely to continue due to economic growth and increased political stability. At the same time there is evidence that migrants from Asia are seeking new routes into the EU via Africa, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. It is predicted that flows from Asia will increase.

While illegal immigration negatively impacts on the EU, countries of origin are also significantly affected by migration. Whilst in some cases, attracting migrant labour is an important concern for the EU given the sharp decline in population, for countries of origin difficult economic situations can generate high levels of emigration among people of working age, people who may then however remit important earnings to their country of origin.

Assessing the scale and nature of migratory flows from, through or to the countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU is a difficult task which must take into account the changes in the EU's external borders: following enlargement of the Union to include Bulgaria and Romania, the EU now has more extended external borders with Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine and Turkey; a new external border with Moldova; and an additional external sea border at the Black Sea which brings the countries of the Southern Caucasus closer. Land borders are also due to change as soon as the newer Member States join the Schengen area. As the borders of the EU shift, migratory routes also shift, displacing existing routes or adding new ones. New routes also appear when certain routes are closed off following increased action by enforcement agencies charged with tackling illegal immigration and organised crime. In addition, in recent years migratory flows have increasingly diversified and new migratory flows are emerging alongside traditional and relatively long-standing ones. In this context, migration is more difficult to manage and Member States increasingly turn to the EU to seek solutions via cross-border dialogue and cooperation with and within the partner regions.

Regarding asylum, according to UNHCR, seven of the ten main countries of origin of asylum-seekers in the EU in 2004 were countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU, namely in the Western Balkans, the Middle East and Asia. This is compared to three countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Capacity to ensure proper asylum processing in many countries of these regions is weak. Even when refugees staying in the region enjoy legal security, the poor social and economic climate is a barrier to integration.

TABLE 1: Nationals of Eastern and South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU and of Asiatic countries registered by EU-25

As Legally residing (2004) | As Apprehended illegal migrants (2005) | As receivers of a visa (2005) | As asylum seekers (2005) |

From South Caucasus | 93,504 | 6,903 | 78,774 | 12,896 |

From Eastern Europe | 536,658 | 41,211 | 2,039,952 | 9,322 |

From Western Balkans | 2,502,906 | 83,173 | 838,174 | 25,890 |

From Turkey | 2,456,186 | 9,749 | 532,177 | 10,746 |

From Russian Federation | 485,053 | 13,844 | 2,833,392 | 18,143 |

TOTAL | 6,074,307 | 154,880 | 6,322,469 | 76,997 |

From Asiatic countries[12] | 2,002,589 | 58,518 | 1,447,382 | 62,975 |

TOTAL all groups above | 8,079,154 | 213,398 | 7,769,851 | 139,972 |

TABLE 2: Number of illegal migrants apprehended by law enforcement agencies of Eastern and South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU

Year 2004 | Year 2005 |

In South Caucasus | 3,123 | 3,029 |

In Eastern Europe | 10,104 | 13,748 |

In Western Balkans | 6,919 | 8,234 |

In Turkey | 61,228 | 57,428 |

TOTAL | 81,374 | 82,439 |

Notes: Figures are Commission estimates based on the apprehension reports by ICMPD and other national sources Apprehended own nationals are in some cases included.

Data from Turkey includes apprehensions within the country. Source: ICMPD: 2005 Yearbook. Vienna 2006.

South Caucasus: no data was available for Armenia.

Western Balkans: For Albania for 2004 no data was available.

Western NIS: For Belarus only the number of apprehended illegal migrants by MOI was available. For Moldova only the number of deported persons was available.

TABLE 3: Number of asylum seekers registered in Eastern and South Eastern countries neighbouring the EU- Year 2004

Total asylum seekers |

South Caucasus | 1,431 |

Eastern Europe | 2,189 |

Western Balkans | 586 |

Turkey | 3,908 |

TOTAL | 8,114 |

Source: UNHCR Statistical yearbook 2004

TABLE 4: Stock of third country nationals from Eastern countries legally residing in the EU27

Nationals of Eastern and South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU, including Russian Federation

Turkey | 2456186 |

Serbia-Montenegro | 839247 |

Albania | 778748 |

Russian Federation | 485053 |

Ukraine | 451283 |

Bosnia and Herzegovina | 352449 |

Croatia | 338307 |

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 194155 |

Moldova | 82011 |

Armenia | 59381 |

Georgia | 31166 |

Azerbaijan | 2957 |

Belarus | 3364 |

TOTAL | 6074307 |

Nationals of Asiatic countries of transit and origin

China | 405546 |

India | 326592 |

Iraq | 186505 |

Pakistan | 170734 |

Sri Lanka | 149329 |

Islamic Republic of Iran | 131932 |

Vietnam | 126862 |

Indonesia | 124088 |

Bangladesh | 113464 |

Afghanistan | 92119 |

Lebanon | 74227 |

Syria | 54704 |

Jordan | 17290 |

Uzbekistan | 10313 |

Kirgizstan | 9759 |

Kazakhstan | 6257 |

Turkmenistan | 1755 |

Tajikistan | 1113 |

TOTAL nationals from Asiatic countries | 2002589 |

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TABLE 5: Visa data

Group 1 |

Russia | 2833392 |

Ukraine | 1348162 |

Belarus | 629849 |

Serbia and Montenegro | 541244 |

Turkey | 532177 |

Albania | 136569 |

Bosnia and Herezegovina | 128750 |

Moldova | 61941 |

Georgia | 40322 |

Armenia | 21911 |

Croatia | 17545 |

Azerbaijan | 16541 |

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 14066 |

Total group 1 | 6322469 |

Group 2 |

China | 592644 |

India | 292861 |

Iran | 104898 |

Kazakhstan | 104166 |

Lebanon | 74299 |

Indonesia | 67931 |

Pakistan | 40243 |

Syria | 37708 |

Vietnam | 35372 |

Jordan | 31449 |

Sri Lanka | 16984 |

Uzbekistan | 12232 |

Bangladesh | 11808 |

Kyrgizstan | 8930 |

Iraq | 6563 |

Turkmenistan | 4033 |

Afghanistan | 3526 |

Tajikistan | 1735 |

TOTAL group 2 | 1447382 |

TOTAL group 1 + group 2 | 7769851 |

TOTAL visas issued worldwide | 11709251 |

Percentage of visas issued in countries group 1 | 54% |

Percentage of visas issued in countries group 2 | 12,30% |

NB. Transit A visas not included. Data is for the year 2005.

Source: Visa data collection managed by Council secretariat and Commission

TABLE 6: Apprehended illegal aliens in EU25, 2004-2005 |

Group 1 | Nationals of Eastern and South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU including Russian Federation |

Country | 2004 | 2005 |

Albania | 36965 | 52388 |

Ukraine | 29156 | 26791 |

Russia | 17276 | 13844 |

Serbia Montenegro | 6988 | 13058 |

Moldova | 10710 | 11444 |

Turkey | 9775 | 9749 |

Georgia | 5627 | 4009 |

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 3532 | 3518 |

Belarus | 2911 | 2976 |

Bosnia | 2663 | 2483 |

Armenia | 2142 | 1938 |

Croatia | 1110 | 1151 |

Azerbaijan | 1417 | 956 |

Total group 1 | 134,597 | 154,880 |

Group 2 | Nationals of Asiatic countries of origin and transit |

Country | 2004 | 2005 |

Iraq | 6861 | 14242 |

China | 10715 | 10894 |

India | 9168 | 9905 |

Pakistan | 5151 | 6724 |

Iran | 2858 | 4640 |

Bangladesh | 3223 | 3551 |

Vietnam | 2325 | 2338 |

Syria | 1526 | 1728 |

Afghanistan | 724 | 909 |

Lebanon | 736 | 803 |

Sri Lanka | 1101 | 745 |

Uzbekistan | 517 | 642 |

Kazakhstan | 616 | 587 |

Kirgyzstan | 301 | 350 |

Jordan | 161 | 212 |

Indonesia | 147 | 114 |

Tajikistan | 109 | 100 |

Turkmenistan | 73 | 34 |

Total group 2 | 46312 | 58518 |

TOTAL groups 1 & 2 | 180,909 | 213,398 |

Total apprehended illegals in all countries in EU25 | 390123 | 423378 |

% from 2 above groups on global total | 46.37% | 50,40% |

Source: Eurostat

NB – Order in the list follows 2005 ranking.

Missing data: Ireland, Luxembourg, UK

TABLE 7: Asylum applications and positive decisions in EU25, 2004-2005 |

Asylum applications and positive decisions in EU25, 2004-2005 |

Source: Eurostat |

Group 1 |

2004 | 2005 |

Country | Applications | Positive decisions | Ratio % between applications and positive decisions | Applications | Positive decisions | Ratio % between applications and positive decisions |

Serbia Montenegro | 17432 | 1866 | 10,70 | 19475 | 1978 | 10,16 |

Russia | 26373 | 7446 | 28,23 | 18143 | 8386 | 46,22 |

Turkey | 13547 | 1611 | 11,89 | 10746 | 1453 | 13,52 |

Georgia | 7452 | 189 | 2,54 | 6330 | 153 | 2,42 |

Moldova | 5229 | 90 | 1,72 | 4506 | 75 | 1,66 |

Armenia | 3682 | 193 | 5,24 | 3793 | 427 | 1,26 |

Bosnia | 3955 | 1134 | 28,67 | 3183 | 875 | 27,49 |

Ukraine | 4569 | 138 | 3,02 | 3077 | 118 | 3,83 |

Azerbaijan | 3630 | 362 | 9,97 | 2773 | 714 | 25,75 |

Belarus | 1931 | 165 | 8,54 | 1739 | 216 | 12,42 |

FYR of Macedonia | 2000 | 38 | 1,90 | 1578 | 68 | 4,31 |

Albania | 1882 | 214 | 11,37 | 1378 | 120 | 8,71 |

Croatia | 456 | 17 | 3,73 | 276 | 26 | 9,42 |

Total group 1 | 92138 | 13463 | 14,61 | 76997 | 14609 | 18,97 |

2004 | 2005 |

Country | Applications | Positive decisions | Ratio % between applications and positive decisions | Applications | Positive decisions | Ratio % between applications and positive decisions |

Iraq | 7910 | 2705 | 34,20 | 10805 | 4260 | 39,43 |

China | 11445 | 305 | 2,66 | 7765 | 345 | 4,44 |

Iran | 8760 | 1560 | 17,81 | 7485 | 1920 | 25,65 |

Pakistan | 8940 | 360 | 4,03 | 6810 | 440 | 6,46 |

Afghanistan | 7135 | 2610 | 36,58 | 6765 | 2420 | 35,77 |

India | 9710 | 35 | 0,36 | 5795 | 45 | 0,78 |

Bangladesh | 5535 | 340 | 6,14 | 4220 | 225 | 5,33 |

Sri Lanka | 3600 | 480 | 13,33 | 3890 | 275 | 7,07 |

Syria | 2910 | 440 | 15,12 | 3695 | 730 | 19,76 |

Vietnam | 3340 | 285 | 8,53 | 2400 | 180 | 7,50 |

Lebanon | 1200 | 45 | 3,75 | 1320 | 130 | 9,85 |

Uzbekistan | 590 | 100 | 16,95 | 725 | 180 | 24,83 |

Kazakhstan | 590 | 85 | 14,41 | 435 | 85 | 19,54 |

Kirgyzstan | 510 | 45 | 8,82 | 390 | 90 | 23,08 |

Jordan | 230 | 15 | 6,52 | 255 | 25 | 9,80 |

Tajikistan | 130 | 25 | 19,23 | 95 | 10 | 10,53 |

Indonesia | 75 | 5 | 6,67 | 70 | 0 | 0,00 |

Turkmenistan | 115 | 30 | 26,09 | 55 | 15 | 27,27 |

Total Group 2 | 72725 | 9470 | 13,02 | 62975 | 11375 | 18,06 |

2004 | 2005 |

Applications | Positive decisions | % Positive decisions | Applications | Positive decisions | % Positive decisions |

TOTAL all groups | 164863 | 22933 | 13,91 | 139972 | 25984 | 18,56 |

Total asylum applications/decisions from all countries in EU25 | 282480 | 62986 | 237840 | 73068 |

Percentage from 2 above groups on global total | 58,36% | 36,40% | 58,85% | 35,56% |

N.B. Order on the list follows order of importance of applications in 2005 |

The ratio between applications and positive decisions is not a recognition rate |

Remarks: |

Data rounded up to the nearest 5. |

2004 - no applications data disaggregated by citizenship available for IT |

2004 - no decisions data available for IT |

2004, 2005 - no decisions data available for LU |

[1] Na základe oznámenia Komisie Globálny prístup k migrácii o rok neskôr: smerom ku komplexnej európskej migračnej politike, november 2006, KOM(2006) 735 v konečnom znení.

[2] Definované v rezolúcii Bezpečnostnej rady OSN 1244.

[3] V prípade Bieloruska by sa dialóg mal odohrávať v súlade s obmedzeniami vzťahujúcimi sa na vzťahy medzi EÚ a Bieloruskom, pokiaľ ide o kontakty s orgánmi a v rámci regionálneho rámca.

[4] Turecko bolo oficiálne uznané za kandidátsku krajinu v decembri 1999. Rokovania o pristúpení sa začali 3. októbra 2005. Chorvátsko je tiež kandidátskou krajinou, ktorá rokuje o členstve v EÚ. Bývalej Juhoslovanskej republike Macedónsko bol udelený status kandidátskej krajiny v decembri 2005, ale rokovania o pristúpení sa ešte nezačali.

[5] Kým SAD s Chorvátskom a bývalou Juhoslovanskou republikou Macedónsko už nadobudla platnosť, SAD s Albánskom bola podpísaná, ale ešte nebola ratifikovaná, SAD s Čiernou Horou bola parafovaná, rokovania o SAD s Bosnou a Hercegovinou sa ukončili, zatiaľ čo rokovania o SAD so Srbskom sú v súčasnosti pozastavené.

[6] Dohoda medzi ES a Albánskom o readmisii je platná od mája 2006; dohody medzi ES a Bosnou a Hercegovinou, Srbskom, bývalou Juhoslovanskou republikou Macedónsko a Čiernou Horou o readmisii boli parafované a očakáva sa, že nadobudnú platnosť do konca roka 2007.

[7] S Bieloruskom neexistuje žiadna DPS a v súlade so závermi Rady sa vzťah EÚ s Bieloruskom riadi dvojúrovňovou politikou, pomocou ktorej sa politika obmedzených kontaktov na ministerskej úrovni realizuje súbežne s pomocou ES namierenou na demokratizáciu a podporu potrieb obyvateľov.

[8] Rokovania o dohode o obchode a spolupráci (Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)) s Iránom sa začali v roku 2002. V dôsledku iránskej jadrovej krízy sa po júli 2005 nemohlo konať žiadne kolo rokovaní. V prípade, že bude možné pokračovať v rokovaniach o TCA, EÚ a Iránska islamská republika sa budú možno domnievať, že je v ich spoločnom záujme zahrnúť osobitné opatrenia pre dialóg a spoluprácu v oblasti otázok súvisiacich s migráciou.

[9] Komisia začala v novembri 2006 rokovania o TCA s Irakom. Dialóg s Irakom o migrácii, vízach a azyle bude veľmi závisieť od bezpečnostnej situácie v Iraku, ako aj od miery, do akej iracká správa zväčší svoje vlastné kapacity.

[10] KOM(2001) 469 zo 4.9.2001.

[11] Projects which started before the separation of Serbia and Montenegro and which now cover both countries can be found under Serbia.

[12] 'Asiatic countries' includes here: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.