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Bruselj, 16.5.2007

COM(2007) 247 konč.

SPOROČILO KOMISIJE EVROPSKEMU PARLAMENTU, SVETU, EVROPSKEMU EKONOMSKO-SOCIALNEMU ODBORU IN ODBORU REGIJ

Uporaba globalnega pristopa k migracijam za vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije, ki mejijo na Evropsko unijo

KAZALO

1. Uvod 3

2. Države v vzhodnih in jugovzhodnih regijah, ki mejijo na EU 4

2.1. Turčija in zahodni Balkan 5

2.1.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog 5

2.1.2. Priporočila 5

2.2. Države partnerice v okviru evropske sosedske politike v vzhodni Evropi in južnem Kavkazu 7

2.2.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog 7

2.2.2. Priporočila 8

2.3. Ruska federacija 9

2.3.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog 9

2.3.2. Priporočila 10

3. Druge regije 11

3.1. Vzhodnosredozemske države, ki so partnerice v okviru evropske sosedske politike (Sirija, Libanon in Jordanija) ter druge države Bližnjega vzhoda (Iran in Irak) 11

3.1.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog 11

3.1.2. Priporočila 11

3.2. Osrednja Azija 12

3.2.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog 12

3.2.2. Priporočila 12

3.3. Azijske države izvora 12

3.3.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog 12

3.3.2. Priporočila 13

4. Izboljšanje usklajevanja 14

5. Sklep 15

Annex I: Acronyms and glossary 17

Annex II: Examples of EU cooperation with and assistance to countries covered by the Communication 20

Annex III: Overview of the migratory situation and flows from and in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU and statistics 72

Uporaba globalnega pristopa k migracijam za vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije, ki mejijo na Evropsko unijo

1. UVOD

Evropski svet je decembra 2005 sprejel globalni pristop k migracijam. Prvotno je bil osredotočen na Afriko in sredozemsko regijo. Evropski svet je v svojih sklepih iz decembra 2006[1] pozval Komisijo, „naj pripravi predloge o okrepljenem dialogu in konkretnih ukrepih“ glede uporabe globalnega pristopa za vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije, ki mejijo na EU. To sporočilo je odgovor na ta poziv. V njem se predlaga pristop, ki temelji na konceptu „migracijske poti“ (za glosar vseh pojmov, uporabljenih v tem besedilu, in razlago akronimov glej Prilogo I).

To sporočilo se osredotoča predvsem na vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije, ki mejijo na EU in po mnenju Komisije zajemajo:

Turčijo, zahodni Balkan (Albanijo, Bosno in Hercegovino, Hrvaško, Nekdanjo jugoslovansko republiko Makedonijo, Črno goro in Srbijo s Kosovom)[2], države partnerice v okviru evropske sosedske politike v vzhodni Evropi (Ukrajina, Moldavija, Belorusija[3]) in južnem Kavkazu (Armenija, Azerbajdžan in Gruzija) ter Rusko federacijo.

Pri izvajanju tega sporočila se morajo najprej upoštevati priporočila, ki se nanašajo neposredno na te države. Vendar pa je treba v skladu s konceptom „migracijske poti“ pri uporabi globalnega pristopa za vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije, ki mejijo na EU, upoštevati tudi države izvora in oddaljene države tranzita. Zato je treba posvetiti pozornost tudi:

državam Bližnjega vzhoda, ki so partnerice v okviru evropske sosedske politike (Sirija, Jordanija in Libanon), Iranu in Iraku; osrednji Aziji (Kazahstan, Kirgizistan, Tadžikistan, Turkmenistan in Uzbekistan) in azijskim državam izvora, kot so Kitajska, Indija, Pakistan, Afganistan, Bangladeš, Šrilanka, Vietnam, Filipini in Indonezija.

Za te države in regije daje to sporočilo bolj srednjeročna do dolgoročna priporočila.

Skupnost ima z vsemi navedenimi državami vzpostavljen institucionalni okvir, v katerem so se oblikovali politični in gospodarski dialog ter odnosi sodelovanja, ki na splošno vključujejo področje migracij. V tem sporočilu je opis teh okvirov za vsako skupino držav. V nekaterih primerih sta dialog in sodelovanje v zvezi z migracijami in sorodnimi področji (kot sta zaposlovanje in izobraževanje) že zelo razvita. Vsakršna morebitna okrepitev dialoga in sodelovanja na področju migracij mora temeljiti na že obstoječem dialogu in sodelovanju ob popolni vključitvi s tem povezanih vprašanj in akterjev zlasti na področju delovne migracije. V Prilogi II je okvirni seznam številnih projektov sodelovanja na področju migracij, vizumov in nadzora meja, ki so trenutno v teku in jih v teh državah financira ES; pomembno je, da je takšno sodelovanje še naprej v ospredju in prepoznavno.

Pri uporabi globalnega pristopa je potrebna izčrpna analiza zakonitih in nezakonitih gibanj, globalne ponudbe delovne sile in povpraševanja po njej, delovnih migracij delovne sile in upravljanja ekonomskih migracij ter potrebe po mednarodni zaščiti. Proučiti je treba tudi migracijske poti, trende in možne spremembe poti. V Prilogi III so navedene nekatere predhodne sklepne ugotovitve o regiji s tega vidika in različni sklopi statističnih podatkov. Pomen te regije za EU je že jasen. Približno tretjina vseh državljanov tretjih držav, ki živijo v EU, je državljanov vzhodnih in jugovzhodnih držav, ki mejijo na EU, ter Ruske federacije. Širitev EU na vzhod v letih 2004 in 2007 je za mnoge sosednje države spremenila pravno podlago za čezmejne prevoze in migracije, zaradi koristi članstva EU, katerih posledica so visoka gospodarska rast in možnosti zaposlitve, pa so nove države članice privlačnejše za migracije iz vzhodnih držav, ki nanje mejijo. V sosednjih državah prihaja tako do učinkov „pridobivanja možganov“ kot „bega možganov“, neto koristi pa pripomorejo k ublažitvi pritiskov v smislu visoke brezposelnosti in nizkih dohodkov, ki so pogosto posledica težav političnega in gospodarskega prehoda.

Omeniti je treba, da Latinska Amerika in Karibi še niso bili obravnavani v okviru konteksta globalnega pristopa k migracijam, čeprav so migracije del rednega političnega dialoga s to regijo. Glede na vse večji pomen vprašanj, povezanih z migracijami v zvezi z državami Latinske Amerike in Karibov, bo Komisija med pripravami na prihodnji vrh med državami EU ter Latinske Amerike in Karibov (Lima, maj 2008) s svojimi partnerji dodatno obravnavala vprašanje migracij. To bo naredila na način, ki bo skladen z globalnim pristopom in bo tudi dovoljeval izvajanje zavez, k čemur sta se obe strani zavezali na vrhu na Dunaju maja 2006.

2. Države v vzhodnih in jugovzhodnih regijah, ki mejijo na EU

Pri razvijanju globalnega pristopa za afriške države se je pokazalo, da so različna sredstva koristna pri sodelovanju z državami partnericami, kot na primer migracijski profili in platforme za sodelovanje na področju migracij in razvoja (glej Prilogo I). Ta sredstva so lahko primerna pri uporabi globalnega pristopa za vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije. Vendar je treba njihovo uporabo obravnavati na podlagi posamezne države in/ali na podlagi regije, zlasti ob upoštevanju obstoječih okvirov in povezav z zadevnimi državami in regijami, v katerih njihova uporaba lahko povzroči dodano vrednosti. Poleg tega si je treba to sporočilo razlagati v povezavi s sporočilom o krožni migraciji in partnerstvih za mobilnost med Evropsko unijo in tretjimi državami , ki je bilo tudi takrat sprejeto.

2.1. Turčija in zahodni Balkan[4]

2.1.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog

Vprašanja migracij s Turčijo, ki ima od leta 1963 pridružitveni sporazum z EU, zajema pristopno partnerstvo iz leta 2006.

V primeru zahodnega Balkana vprašanja migracij zajema stabilizacijsko-pridružitveni sporazum (SPS), ki je pogodbeni okvir odnosov, ki je vzpostavljen ali se vzpostavi z vsako od držav[5]. Poleg tega vprašanja migracij – pogosto natančno – zajemajo zadevna evropska ali pristopna partnerstva (v primeru Hrvaške in Turčije). Izvajanje partnerstev se spremlja predvsem z letnimi poročili o napredku in na srečanjih z zadevnimi državami. O vprašanjih migracij se tudi razpravlja v okviru letnih ministrskih trojk JLS z državami zahodnega Balkana.

Kar zadeva države kandidatke Hrvaško, Turčijo in Nekdanjo jugoslovansko republiko Makedonijo, se o vprašanjih migracij poglobljeno razpravlja na zadevnih srečanjih pododborov, lahko pa se sprožijo tudi na zasedanjih Pridružitvenega odbora in Sveta. V okviru pristopnih pogajanj s Hrvaško in Turčijo se vprašanja migracij pregledujejo in spremljajo med drugim v okviru poglavja pravice, svobode in varnosti, pa tudi prostega gibanja delavcev.

Kar zadeva druge države v regiji, se vprašanja migracij obravnavajo v okviru procesov posebnega strateškega svetovanja in spremljanja (svetovalna projektna skupina za Albanijo, proces spremljanja reform v primeru Bosne in Hercegovine, okrepljen stalni dialog v primeru Črne gore in Srbije), vključno s srečanji tehnične skupine. Kar zadeva Kosovo, se ta vprašanja obravnavajo v okviru mehanizma za sledenje stabilizacijskega in pridružitvenega procesa (STM).

Proces sodelovanja v jugovzhodni Evropi (SEECP) ima vse pomembnejšo vlogo kot forum za regionalno sodelovanje v celotni regiji jugovzhodne Evrope ter vključuje sodelovanje na področju zadev JLS. Proces sodelovanja v jugovzhodni Evropi je vključen v proces ustvarjanja novega regionalnega okvira, ki bo regionalni naslednik Pakta stabilnosti za jugovzhodno Evropo.

Vse države kandidatke ali države s priznano perspektivo pristopa k EU si že v celoti prizadevajo za sprejetje pravnega reda Skupnosti. Za zagotovitev, da se bo ta proces nadaljeval brez zamud in da se bodo medtem tokovi jugovzhodnih migracijskih poti bolje upravljali, se kot splošne prednostne naloge predlagajo naslednji ukrepi:

2.1.2. Priporočila

- Za dopolnitev dialoga o migracijah na dvostranskih in regionalnih forumih bi lahko nacionalne in podregionalne platforme za sodelovanje na področju migracij na podlagi izkušenj pobude za migracije, azil in vračanje beguncev (MARRI) dodatno olajševale dialog med vsemi vključenimi akterji.

- Dialog z organi držav kandidatk in partneric mora vključevati razpravo o tem, kako razvojni učinek migracij lahko pripomore h krepitvi stabilnosti in pospeševanju rasti v regiji . Razviti je treba politike za preprečitev bega možganov, kot so naložbe v usposabljanje in krepitev zmogljivosti, da se izboljšajo delovni pogoji in povečajo možnosti za delo, kar bo preprečilo odhod usposobljenih delavcev. Še naprej je treba proučevati načine za zmanjšanje stroškov prenosov nakazil in krepitev njihovega učinka na razvoj držav v tej regiji. Organizirati je treba študijske obiske strokovnjakov ter tako krepiti stike in pospeševati neposredno sodelovanje med upravami ter preverjati institucionalno zmogljivost. Organizirale bi se lahko tudi delavnice o različnih vidikih agende migracij in razvoja. Poleg tega je treba spodbujati pobude, katerih cilj je povezovanje visoko usposobljenih migrantov, kot so znanstveni raziskovalci, z njihovimi državami izvora.

- Treba je povečati možnosti za krožno migracijo in pri tem upoštevati obstoječa kratkoročna sezonska čezmejna gibanja v regiji. Razen v primeru Hrvaške, v kateri za potovanja v EU že velja ureditev brez vizumov, je treba vizumske ureditve v regiji še naprej izboljševati in usklajevati ter tako omogočiti pretok dela. Raziskati je treba tudi izvedljivost omogočanja večjega obsega programov izmenjave za raziskovalce in študente. Ustrezno pozornost je treba nameniti tudi zagotavljanju, da so migranti ustrezno pripravljeni na odhod, in sicer v smislu, da imajo realistično predstavo o življenju in možnostih za delo v EU. Pri tem procesu bi bili v pomoč usposabljanje ter posebni programi in usklajevanje dela. Migracijski portali bodo imeli pri tem ključno vlogo in bodo vzpostavljeni do konca leta 2007. Glede na oceno izkušenj z obstoječimi servisnimi centri za migracije bi teh lahko bilo več. Ustanovitev kontaktnih točk na vsakem ministrstvu za delo ali za notranje zadeve bi pripomogla k oblikovanju ustreznih političnih odzivov, ki bi upoštevali potrebe po delovni sili na eni strani in varnostne vidike migracij na drugi. Kar zadeva kratkoročne vizume, bo tudi izvajanje sporazumov Skupnosti o poenostavitvi vizumskih postopkov, ki so z nekaterimi državami zahodnega Balkana že parafirani, pripomoglo k izboljšanju in poenostavitvi postopkov izdajanja vizumov za določene kategorije državljanov teh držav.

- Zakonodajo o azilu in zaščiti beguncev je treba okrepiti ali dopolniti, da bo omogočala izčrpne pravne zaščitne ukrepe za pravice oseb, ki potrebujejo mednarodno zaščito. Črna gora in Srbija morata še sprejeti osnovne azilne zakone, k čemur ju je treba tudi spodbujati. Turčija mora še spremeniti svojo glavno zakonodajo o azilu v skladu z ustreznim pravnim redom Skupnosti, da se zagotovi njeno učinkovito izvajanje, in oblikovati upravno zmogljivost v skladu z najboljšimi praksami EU. V vseh državah so potrebna nadaljnja prizadevanja za zagotovitev, da se v praksi izvajajo ustrezne pravne določbe.

- Okrepiti je treba boj proti nezakonitim migracijam in trgovini z ljudmi. Zato mora agencija FRONTEX še naprej razvijati svoje odnose z državami v regiji. Tehnična pomoč državam partnericam, ki naj bi vključevala nadaljevanje usposabljanja osebja na mejah in uradnikov na področju migracij ter razvoj zanesljivih statističnih podatkov o prijavljenih primerih, mora biti zagotovljena z uporabo instrumentov, kot so instrument za predpristopno pomoč (IPA), twinning in TAIEX. V okviru IPA bi se lahko podpirali tudi določeni ukrepi v zvezi z nadzorom meja in upravljanjem migracij v državah kandidatkah za članstvo v EU in potencialnih državah kandidatkah. Izvajati je treba sporazume med ES in državami zahodnega Balkana o ponovnem sprejemu, sporazum med ES in Turčijo o ponovnem sprejemu pa je treba nemudoma sprejeti[6].

- EU mora spodbujati tesnejše regionalno večdisciplinarno sodelovanje na področju kazenskega pregona v zvezi z bojem proti organiziranemu kriminalu, zlasti z okrepljenim sodelovanjem med Europolom in Centrom SECI v Bukarešti. Zato je treba skleniti memorandum o soglasju med Europolom in Centrom SECI, ki bo obravnaval zlasti trgovino z ljudmi, medtem ko je dolgoročni cilj operativni sporazum o sodelovanju.

2.2. Države partnerice v okviru evropske sosedske politike v vzhodni Evropi in južnem Kavkazu

2.2.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog

Okvir za odnose z državami vzhodne Evrope in južnega Kavkaza je Evropska sosedska politika (ESP). Sodelovanje na področju migracij, vizumskih vprašanj, azila, upravljanja meja in drugih s tem povezanih gospodarskih in socialnih vprašanj, ki je sicer le posredno omenjeno v sporazumih o partnerstvu in sodelovanju (SPS), ki so pravna podlaga za odnose ES s temi državami, je del vseh akcijskih načrtov ESP, sklenjenih z vzhodnimi partnericami. Nekatere od teh držav partneric imajo tudi svoje nacionalne akcijske programe za ta vprašanja. Ukrajina ima posebni akcijski načrt JLS, ki je enak zadevnemu oddelku akcijskih načrtov, sklenjenih z Armenijo, Azerbajdžanom, Gruzijo in Moldavijo; Komisija sodeluje tudi z Ukrajino na podlagi kazalcev uspeha, ki temeljijo na akcijskem načrtu JLS, ki vsebuje referenčne vrednosti.

O vprašanjih migracij se že poglobljeno razpravlja z Moldavijo in Ukrajino v zadevnih pododborih, pa tudi na rednih ministrskih trojkah JLS med EU in Ukrajino ter na srečanjih Odbora in Sveta za sodelovanje. Podoben pristop velja za tri države južnega Kavkaza, katerih akcijski načrti so bili sprejeti novembra 2006. Hitrost napredka dialoga in sodelovanja se od države do države razlikuje, saj temelji na njeni zmogljivosti, velikosti (zlasti v primeru Ukrajine) in razmer. Ker je Belorusija primer zase[7], je tehnično sodelovanje na področju zadev v zvezi z vprašanji meja, migracijami in organiziram kriminalom, mogoče na podlagi delovnih stikov z beloruskimi uradniki v okviru regionalnega dialoga in programov.

2.2.2. Priporočila

Odnosi s posameznimi državami se seveda razlikujejo, toda kratkoročne prednostne naloge morajo vključevati naslednje:

- Čeprav nujni okvir za dialog na dvostranski ravni z vsemi temi državami (razen Belorusije) že obstaja, se mora dejanski dialog o teh vprašanjih z Armenijo, Azerbajdžanom in Gruzijo v okviru njihovih akcijskih načrtov ESP še začeti, obstoječi dialog z Moldavijo in Ukrajino pa se poglablja. Čeprav so odnosi z Belorusijo omejeni, je treba sprožiti stike med strokovnjaki na področju vprašanj migracij. Ta dialog je pomemben tudi za obravnavanje problema ksenofobije in njenega učinka na migracije in vključevanje.

- Na regionalni ravni , na kateri se vprašanja migracij in s tem povezana vprašanja obravnavajo, bi se lahko upoštevale izkušnje procesa iz Söderköpinga in Budimpešte. Okrepiti je treba tudi podporo izboljšanju zmogljivosti držav partneric za obravnavanje nezakonitih migrantov v skladu z mednarodnimi standardi. To bi lahko vključevalo skrb za nezakonite migrante, potrebe žrtev trgovanja z ljudmi in drugih ranljivih oseb, pa tudi mednarodne standarde za zaščito beguncev, ki jih morajo te države izpolnjevati (med drugim kot članice Sveta Evrope), toda še vedno ni učinkovitih zakonov, postopkov in praks na področju azila in zaščite beguncev. Nadaljevati se mora delo z zadevnimi organizacijami, tudi v zvezi z vključitvijo povratnikov.

- Pri spodbujanju celovitega pristopa k migracijam je črnomorska regija še posebej pomembna v smislu tranzitnih migracij in trgovine z ljudmi. Strukture sodelovanja na področju Baltskega morja bi bilo treba uporabiti kot navdih za raziskavo izvedljivost oblikovanja platforme regionalnega sodelovanja, ki bo v prizadevanjih za boljše upravljanje migracij združila ustrezne države članice EU, agencije EU, druge države ob Črnem morju ter regionalne organizacije, kot so SECI, BSEC, projektna skupina za organizirani kriminal na področju Baltskega morja in črnomorski forum. V tem smislu bi se lahko spodbujala izmenjava informacij ter usklajevale dejavnosti obhodov in nadzora. Prispevki EU lahko obsegajo vrsto dejavnosti od usposabljanja (twinning) uradnikov kazenskega pregona do sodelovanja z agencijo FRONTEX in Europolom ter od vprašanj, kot sta socialna varnost in usposabljanje uradnikov na področju dela, do rehabilitacije žrtev trgovine z ljudmi.

- Kakor je Komisija razložila v svojem sporočilu iz decembra 2006, je mobilnost oseb ključnega pomena za partnerice ESP in tudi za EU, saj pripomore k polnemu uresničevanju te prednostne naloge zunanje politike. Komisija zato predlaga, da se „zelo resno prouči, kako bi lahko vizumski postopki pomenili manjše ovire zakonitim potovanjem iz sosednjih držav v EU (in obratno) … v okviru širših sklopov za obravnavanje zadevnih vprašanj (JLS)“. Zato je za te države treba razmisliti o partnerstvih za mobilnost , vključno s posebnimi možnostmi za poenostavitev vizumskih postopkov , delovnimi dovoljenji in informacijami v zvezi s potrebami sezonskega trga dela v EU. Izvedljivost takega partnerstva z Ukrajino, med drugimi, je treba proučiti prednostno.

- Poleg tega je treba omogočiti poenostavitev vizumskih postopkov za namene, ki ne vključujejo dela (npr. za poslovne, izobraževalne in turistične namene), ter za uradnike, ki se udeležujejo zadevnih srečanj v zvezi z reformami, kar je že možno v okviru obstoječih Skupnih konzularnih navodil. Komisija zdaj močno priporoča, da to uporabljajo zlasti tiste države članice, v katerih se odvijajo najpomembnejša srečanja (npr. države, v katerih so institucije EU, in države, ki trenutno predsedujejo EU). Komisija še zlasti poziva, da se to s takojšnjim učinkom naredi za ljudi, ki potujejo poslovno zaradi „zadev EU“ (kar je zelo majhen del vizumskih zahtevkov), za kar bo omogočila priporočilna pisma in še naprej sodelovala z veleposlaništvi ali konzulati zadevnih držav članic EU.

- Nakazila migrantov so v tej regiji tudi zelo pomembna, saj Armenija, Gruzija, Moldavija in Ukrajina spadajo med države sveta, ki so najbolj odvisne od nakazil. Raziskati je treba možnosti za zmanjšanje transakcijskih stroškov nakazil in krepitev njihovega učinka na razvoj države izvora (ob upoštevanju dejstva, da so nakazila zasebne narave). Prav tako je treba podpirati načine za spodbujanje socialno-ekonomskega razvoja teh držav s preprečevanjem nadaljnjega bega možganov, olajševanjem prostovoljne vrnitve (visoko) usposobljenih oseb in spodbujanjem velikih diaspor, da prispevajo k razvoju njihovih držav izvora. Spodbujati je treba pobude, katerih cilj je povezovanje visoko usposobljenih migrantov, kot so znanstveni raziskovalci, z njihovimi državami izvora.

- Pozornost je treba nameniti sporazumom o ponovnem sprejemu . Sporazum o ponovnem sprejemu z Ukrajino je že parafiran, končala pa so se tudi pogajanja z Moldavijo, katerih glavni cilj je začetek veljavnosti sporazuma čim prej v letu 2007. V prihodnosti je treba razmisliti tudi o začetku pogajanj z drugimi državami. Za države, ki že imajo takšne sporazume z EU, je treba pozornost nameniti njihovi zmogljivosti za izvajanje teh sporazumov, pa tudi spodbujanju sklepanja podobnih sporazumov z njihovimi vzhodnimi in jugovzhodnimi sosedami.

- Krepitev zmogljivosti za te države, ki že prejema znatno podporo Skupnosti, je treba izboljšati, bodisi v zvezi z upravljanjem njihovih meja (ali s kazenskim pregonom na splošno) bodisi s povečevanjem njihovega medsebojnega sodelovanja (Ukrajina se očitno spopada s posebnimi izzivi, povezanimi z njeno lego in velikostjo ter naravo nadzora njenih meja; Belorusija je izrazila zanimanje za sodelovanje na področju nadzora meja in organiziranega kriminala, medtem ko bi se lahko še naprej krepila prizadevanja na področju učinkovitega spopadanja s trgovino z ljudmi iz Belorusije). Obstoječa misija EU za obmejno pomoč (EUBAM) na moldavsko-ukrajinski meji je dober primer za to. Te pobude morajo biti skladne s sedanjimi prizadevanji za boj proti korupciji in organiziranemu kriminalu.

- Vrzeli v zakonodajnih in institucionalnih okvirih ter nacionalne zmogljivosti za zbiranje podatkov in spremljanje migracijskih tokov je morda treba še bolj poudarjati. Omogočila bi se lahko ustrezna tehnična pomoč , na primer za varnost potovalnih dokumentov, dovoljenj za prebivanje in vizumskih nalepk ter civilnih informacijskih sistemov, na katere se opirajo. Prizadevanja za izboljšanje varnosti dokumentov morajo vključevati najnovejši razvoj na področju uporabe biometričnih podatkov. Poleg tega bi lahko sheme za tehnično pomoč vključevale oblikovanje posebnih centrov za informacije o delu, usposabljanje in izobraževanje.

2.3. Ruska federacija

2.3.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog

Postopni razvoj časovnega načrta Skupnega prostora svobode, varnosti in pravice, sprejetega maja 2005, se odvija v okviru sporazuma o partnerstvu in sodelovanju med EU in Rusijo. Na dvoletnih zasedanjih ministrov EU in Rusije v okviru Stalnega partnerskega sveta za pravosodje in notranje zadeve se spremlja splošno izvajanje Skupnega prostora. Poleg tega se odvijajo tudi neformalni dialog in srečanja na strokovni ravni. Naše strateško partnerstvo temelji na skupnih vrednotah, ki so osnova odnosov med EU in Rusijo, kakor so zapisani v sporazumu o partnerstvu in sodelovanju in v časovnem načrtu. Ta jasno predvidevata krepitev našega sodelovanja s spoštovanjem človekovih pravic in temeljnih svoboščin v državah članicah EU in Rusiji, ki mora kot članica Sveta Evrope spoštovati določbe Evropske konvencije o človekovih pravicah.

2.3.2. Priporočila

Rusija je od razpada ZSSR glavni cilj beguncev in ekonomskih migrantov iz sosednjih držav, pa tudi država z velikim številom notranje razseljenih oseb. V zadnjem času je postala tudi glavna tranzitna država za migracijska gibanja iz jugovzhodne Azije, Kitajske in Afganistana v zahodno Evropo. Sodelovanje z Rusijo na področju migracijske politike in gibanja oseb je zato vse bolj pomembno.

- Obstaja potreba po poglobitvi izčrpnega dialoga z Rusijo o vseh vprašanjih, povezanih z migracijami, vključno z azilom, bojem proti nezakonitemu priseljevanju in trgovini z ljudmi, delovnim migracijam ter vsemi zadevnimi socialnimi vidiki migracij. Spodbujanje izmenjave izkušenj med državami članicami EU in Rusijo glede upravljanja delovnih migracij bi bilo še posebej koristno.

- Okrepiti je treba izvajanje prednostnih nalog, ki jih določa časovni načrt Skupnega prostora , in sicer cilje izmenjave informacij glede politike upravljanja migracij in najboljših praks, vključno z oceno statističnih podatkov, ter ustreznega sodelovanja s tretjimi državami. V tem smislu je treba spodbujati sodelovanje med zadevnimi organi, zadolženimi za izvajanje sporazumov o ponovnem sprejemu in poenostavitvi vizumskih postopkov , s pozornim spremljanjem procesa izvajanja, kar bo pripomoglo k učinkovitejšemu boju proti nezakonitemu priseljevanju in obenem olajšalo osebne stike. Poleg tega se je, kakor je določeno v Skupnem prostoru, kot dolgoročni cilj začel dialog za proučitev pogojev za potovanja brez vizumov. Na podlagi na novo oblikovanega okvira bi se lahko proučile možnosti za okrepitev odnosov na drugih področjih, povezanih z migracijami.

- Pomisleke v zvezi z rusko zakonodajo o izvajanju Konvencije o beguncih iz leta 1951 je treba obravnavati s krepitvijo sodelovanja z Rusko federacijo na področju azila . Obstaja tudi potreba po izboljšanju varstva notranje razseljenih oseb v skladu z mednarodnimi standardi, da se vsaj zmanjša pritisk na azilne sisteme sosednjih držav.

- Spodbujati je treba izmenjavo informacij na področju zakonodajnega okvira v zvezi z vsemi oblikami trgovine z ljudmi , tudi v okviru projektne skupine za organizirani kriminal. Okrepiti je treba zlasti izvajanje sporazuma o sodelovanju na področju boja proti različnim oblikam nadnacionalnih kaznivih dejavnosti med Europolom in Rusijo iz leta 2003. Še naprej je treba podpirati tudi delo projektne skupine za organizirani kriminal in njen boj proti trgovini z ljudmi kot sredstvo za izboljšanje sodelovanja na področju regionalnega večdisciplinarnega kazenskega pregona v regiji Baltskega morja in zlasti z Rusko federacijo. Raziskati je treba načine za krepitev vloge Europola in agencije FRONTEX v regiji Baltskega morja.

- Pomembno je učinkovito operativno sodelovanje, kakor določa zadevni mandat med agencijo FRONTEX in rusko mejno stražo, zlasti za spodbujanje najboljših praks na področju upravljanja meja.

3. DRUGE REGIJE

3.1. Vzhodnosredozemske države, ki so partnerice v okviru evropske sosedske politike (Sirija, Libanon in Jordanija) ter druge države Bližnjega vzhoda (Iran in Irak)

3.1.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog

Kar zadeva Libanon in Jordanijo, migracije in z njimi povezana vprašanja obravnavajo zadevni pododbori za migracije in socialne zadeve v okviru njunih pridružitvenih sporazumov in akcijskih načrtov ESP. Akcijski načrt za Libanon vključuje posebne navedbe o sodelovanju na področju migracij in upravljanja meja, partnerstvu z agencijo FRONTEX, možnosti boljšega upravljanja delovnih migracij in poenostavitvi vizumskih postopkov. Akcijski načrt z Jordanijo vsebuje oddelek o vprašanjih migracij, vključno z možnostjo razpravljanja o sodelovanju na področju tranzitnih migracij, azila in vizumskih vprašanj. Tudi upravljanje meja je prednostna naloga akcijskih načrtov obeh držav. V okviru sedanjega sporazuma o sodelovanju s Sirijo ni formalnega dvostranskega dialoga. Tudi evro-sredozemsko partnerstvo, v katerem Libanon, Jordanija in Sirija sodelujejo, omogoča regionalni dialog med EU in državami partnericami o migracijah. Z Iranom[8] ni nobenega okvira za dialog, z Irakom[9] pa nobenega uradnega dialoga o migracijskih in s tem povezanih vprašanjih.

3.1.2. Priporočila

- Dialog z Libanonom in Jordanijo o vprašanjih migracij, vizumov, azila in upravljanja meja se bo aktivno spodbujal v okviru srečanj zadevnih pododborov in v skladu s prednostnimi nalogami, določenimi v akcijskih načrtih ESP. S Sirijo se bo začel dvostranski dialog o migracijah, ko bo podpisan pridružitveni sporazum.

- Glede na vse večji pomen vprašanja beguncev v teh državah, zlasti v zvezi s sporom v Iraku ter njegovim učinkom na sosednje države, ter ob upoštevanju dejstva, da so doslej za bivanje večine beguncev skrbele države gostiteljice (Jordanija in Sirija sta s 750 000 oziroma 1 milijonom beguncev vodilni), mora biti EU pripravljena še naprej podpirati in sodelovati v zadevnih pobudah regionalnega dialoga ali sodelovanja. EU in njene države članice morajo v svojih odnosih z Jordanijo in Sirijo še naprej spodbujati pogoje, ki mednarodni skupnosti omogočajo človekoljubno pomoč in mednarodno zaščito, vključno s podporo v okviru rehabilitacije in drugih programov.

- Treba je spodbujati Iran, da na področju preprečevanja in kazenskega preganjanja tihotapljenja in trgovine z ljudmi bolj aktivno sodeluje s svojimi sosedami (zlasti s Turčijo in južnim Kavkazom, pa tudi s Pakistanom in Afganistanom). Lahko bi se proučile pilotne oblike konkretnega sodelovanja na tehnični ravni.

- Vse te države je treba tudi spodbujati h, kadar je potrebno, ratificiranju in izvajanju Ženevske konvencije ter Konvencije Združenih narodov proti mednarodnemu organiziranemu kriminalu (UNTOC) in njenih dopolnilnih protokolov .

3.2. Osrednja Azija

3.2.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog

Migracije in z njimi povezana vprašanja se obravnavajo na srečanjih pododborov za pravosodje in notranje zadeve, ki so predvideni s Kazahstanom in Uzbekistanom v okviru njunih SPS. O migracijah se razpravlja tudi na srečanjih odbora za sodelovanje v okviru SPS med EU in Kirgizistanom. Vendar pa s Turkmenistanom in Tadžikistanom še ni formalnega dvostranskega dialoga o migracijah. Regionalni dialog med EU in osrednjo Azijo o migracijah obstaja poleg zgoraj omenjenih srečanj. Sčasoma bi lahko EU zagotovila, da se vprašanja migracij vključijo v politični in gospodarski dialog z državami osrednje Azije.

3.2.2. Priporočila

- Na področju upravljanja meja bi se lahko proučilo nadaljnje sodelovanje v skladu s projektom BOMCA ali z drugimi projekti na področju upravljanja delovnih migracij , ki trenutno potekajo.

- Lahko bi se proučila tehnična pomoč, da bi lahko države iz te regije na področju preprečevanja nezakonitega priseljevanja in boja proti tihotapljenju in trgovini z ljudmi še naprej sodelovale z EU, Turčijo in vzhodnimi državami partnericami v okviru ESP.

- Države partnerice je treba tudi spodbujati h, kadar je potrebno, ratificiranju in izvajanju Ženevske konvencije ter Konvencije Združenih narodov proti mednarodnemu organiziranemu kriminalu (UNTOC) in njenih dopolnilnih protokolov .

3.3. Azijske države izvora

3.3.1. Trenutni okvir za dialog

Politični okvir za sodelovanje z Azijo je sporočilo o Evropi in Aziji: strateški okvir za okrepljeno partnerstvo [10] iz leta 2001, ki predvideva krepitev našega dialoga in sodelovanja z Azijo na številnih področjih, med katera spadajo tudi vprašanja pravosodja in notranjih zadev, kar vključuje vizumsko in azilno politiko, politiko priseljevanja ter druge politike, povezane s prostim gibanjem oseb, pa tudi socialno politiko ter globalne izzive in možnosti. Komisija meni, da je treba politični in gospodarski dialog na regionalni ravni spodbuditi, in sicer na forumih, kot sta forum Združenja držav jugovzhodne Azije (ASEAN) in forum v okviru srečanj med Azijo in Evropo (ASEM), pa tudi dvostransko.

Kar zadeva Kitajsko, se redno odvijajo posvetovanja na visoki ravni s Skupnostjo o vprašanjih v zvezi z bojem proti nezakonitemu priseljevanju in trgovini z ljudmi s poudarkom na izmenjavi informacij in ukrepih za krepitev zaupanja. V tem okviru se izmenjujejo informacije o zakonodaji, ki jo uvedeta obe strani, in potekajo preiskovalni pogovori o ponovnem sprejemu poleg razprav o pravnih sredstvih za potovanja v Evropo in po njej.

3.3.2. Priporočila

Poleg vprašanj, povezanih z migracijami in razvojem, imajo področja, kot so vizumska, azilna in migracijska politika ter druge politike, povezane s prostim gibanjem oseb, vse pomembnejšo vlogo pri naših odnosih z Azijo, zlasti glede na rastoče trgovinske odnose skupaj s trgovino in storitvami, demografske spremembe z veliko rastjo števila prebivalstva v večjem delu Azije na eni strani in upadanjem števila prebivalstva v Evropi ter vse večje možnosti za delovne migracije in za usklajevanje ponudbe delovne sile in povpraševanja po njej na svetovni ravni v nekaterih sektorjih gospodarstva. To dokazujejo porast migracij iz te regije, razvoj dialoga o teh vprašanjih, vključitev migracij v nove sporazume o sodelovanju z državami v jugovzhodni Aziji in razvoj globalnih pobud, kot je balijski proces. Poleg tega je nekaterim državam posvečena posebna pozornost, saj jih EU v okviru politike ponovnega sprejema obravnava prednostno. To so države ali subjekti, s katerimi je Skupnost sklenila sporazum o ponovnem sprejemu (Hongkong, Macao, Šrilanka), je v procesu sklenitve takega sporazuma (Pakistan) ali se namerava o njem pogajati (Kitajska). EU je sprožila tudi dvostranski in večstranski dialog z Azijo o vprašanjih v zvezi z delovnimi migracijami, vključno z zaposlovanjem, socialno politiko in izobraževanjem. Ob nadaljnjem obravnavanju temeljnih vzrokov migracij iz tretjih držav v tej regiji kot izhodišča:

- je treba še naprej podpirati pogajanja o ponovnem sprejemu, ki so v teku, in pobude, povezane z bojem proti tihotapljenju in trgovini z ljudmi ;

- mora dialog o vseh vprašanjih migracij srednjeročno postati standardni vidik političnega in gospodarskega dialoga z državami v tej regiji. Treba je v celoti izkoristiti možnosti, ki jih nudita dialog v okviru ASEM in njegov virtualni sekretariat, ki je trenutno v oblikovanju za izmenjavo informacij in najboljših praks o vprašanjih migracij;

- je treba upoštevati potencial delovnih migracij iz Azije. Povečana in dobro organizirana mobilnost za določene kategorije oseb iz držav te regije je lahko zelo pomembna za EU, pa tudi za socialno-ekonomski razvoj teh držav. Delovne migracije so pomembno vprašanje dnevnega reda na novo oblikovanega dialoga med EU in Indijo, obstajajo pa tudi možnosti za povečanje dialoga s Kitajsko v korist obeh strani, tako se ta ne bi osredotočal le na nezakonite migracije in turistične tokove kot zdaj, da bi se olajšala mobilnost. V okviru ASEM se je začela tudi izmenjava delovnih migracij, trenutno pa se proučujejo tudi možnosti za tesnejši dialog in sodelovanje z Združenjem držav jugovzhodne Azije (ASEAN) na tem področju. Komisija zato predlaga, da se z izbranimi državami v regiji s partnerstvi za mobilnost preizkusijo možnosti.

4. IZBOLJšANJE USKLAJEVANJA

Zaradi spodbujanja upravljanja migracij v sosednjih in bolj oddaljenih državah in regijah se že izvajajo številne različne pobude. Glede na to, da se bo vrednost globalnega pristopa povečala, če se zagotovi več skladnosti in dopolnjevanja med temi pobudami, Komisija predlaga, da države članice na začetku prispevajo k dopolnitvi seznama vseh pobud Skupnosti v državah in regijah, ki jih zajema to sporočilo (glej Prilogo I), s seznamom njihovih nacionalnih pobud, da se lahko ustvari popolnejša slika trenutnega stanja.

Poleg tega se lahko več naredi za razumevanje obsega in značilnosti migracijskih tokov z vzhoda in jugovzhoda. Informacije, ki so na voljo, niso sistematično zbrane in se sistematično ne uporabljajo. Številne organizacije imajo dragocene informacije za različna področja, ki so del celovitega pristopa k migracijam. Lahko bi se razmislilo o pobudi za oblikovanje mreže za izmenjavo informacij med agencijo FRONTEX, Europolom, Mednarodno organizacijo za migracije (IOM), Mednarodnim centrom za razvoj migracijske politike (ICMPD), Mednarodno organizacijo dela (MOD), raznimi agencijami ZN – zlasti Programom ZN za razvoj (UNDP), Visokim komisariatom Združenih narodov za begunce (UNHCR) in Uradom OZN za droge in preprečevanje kriminala (UNODC) – ter drugimi mednarodnimi in regionalnimi organizacijami, kot je SECI.

Glede na pomen boja proti tihotapljenju in trgovini z ljudmi je potreben bolj usklajen pristop , da se spodbudijo pobude politike za spopadanje s tem pojavom. Konkretne pobude bi lahko vključevale nadaljnjo širitev obsega obstoječih pobud (kar je Zveza proti trgovini z ljudmi že pripravila), krepitev dialoga s tretjimi državami o spodbujanju učinkovitih politik boja proti trgovini z ljudmi in obravnavanje posebnih problematičnih področij, kot je varstvo žrtev trgovine z ljudmi, zlasti žensk in otrok. Poleg tega mora EU razmisliti o aktivnem sodelovanju v tekočih globalnih pobudah, kot je Medagencijska skupina UN za sodelovanje na področju trgovine z ljudmi (ICAT). Nedavno sprejeti program za „Preprečevanje kriminala in boj proti njemu“ omogoča finančno podporo projektom s prednostnih področij, kot so preprečevanje, zaščita in pomoč žrtvam ter kazenski pregon in kaznovanje storilcev.

Pri obravnavanju nezakonitih tokov je treba dati agenciji FRONTEX vidnejšo vlogo ter obenem zagotoviti skladnost in usklajenost med njenimi dejavnostmi in splošno politiko EU na področju zunanjih odnosov. Geografske prednostne naloge agencije v letu 2007 vključujejo razvoj sodelovanja z Rusijo, Ukrajino, Moldavijo, Gruzijo ter državami zahodnega Balkana in azijskimi državami, zlasti s Kitajsko, Pakistanom in Indijo. Zdaj ko sta oblikovana strategija in delovni program, je treba agenciji FRONTEX dati potrebna sredstva za učinkovito izpeljavo njenega mandata, države članice pa morajo zagotoviti, da imajo dovolj sredstev, da bodo lahko po potrebi sodelovale pri skupnih operacijah agencije FRONTEX in analizah tveganja. Priporočeno je tudi, da se na južnih in jugovzhodnih mejah uporabi skupina za hitro posredovanje na mejah (RABIT). Agencija FRONTEX mora še naprej razvijati ustrezne obveščevalne metodologije, da se zagotovi zanesljiva analiza tveganja, treba pa jo je tudi spodbujati k sodelovanju v projektih, srečanjih, konferencah in usposabljanju s tretjimi državami.

Potreben je tudi bolj usklajen pristop, da se zagotovi boljše upravljanje delovnih migracij . Pobude na tem področju morajo vključevati vse zadevne dejavnike, zlasti ministrstva za trgovino, delo in izobraževanje ter druge zainteresirane strani, vključno s socialnimi partnerji. Konkretne pobude morajo oceniti in predvideti globalno ponudbo delovne sile in povpraševanje po njej po stopnji usposobljenosti ter obravnavati zadevna vprašanja, kot so prepoznavanje usposobljenosti in kvalifikacij, dostop do trga dela, vključitev migrantov, spodbujanje in olajševanje novih oblik migracije, kot sta začasna in krožna migracija, ter krepitev zmogljivosti zavodov za zaposlovanje v tretjih državah. Pobude bodo tesno povezane s spodbujanjem dostojnega dela za vse v okviru migracij.

Države članice EU lahko povečajo število uradnikov za zvezo za priseljevanje (ILO) v regiji in razvijejo mrežo teh uradnikov na glavnih migracijskih poteh. Skupnost lahko preko Sklada za zunanje meje prispeva za ta prizadevanja.

Ustanovitev skupnih centrov za izdajanje vizumov – kot je center v Moldaviji, odprt s sodelovanjem Avstrije, Madžarske, Latvije in Slovenije ter kmalu Estonije in Danske – tudi lahko pripomore k delitvi zagotavljanja storitev med državami članicami. Poleg tega je lahko regionalna uvedba vizumskega informacijskega sistema pobuda za krepitev zastopanja držav članic in ustanovitev skupnih centrov za izdajanje vizumov v tej regiji.

EU in njene države članice krepijo svoje dejavnosti v zvezi s podporo tretjim državam za boljše upravljanje migracij. Instrument ES TAIEX za kratkoročne naloge strokovnjakov ima pomembno vlogo pri zagotavljanju potrebnih strokovnjakov za tretje države, in sicer tudi za druga področja JLS. Mandat urada pa je trenutno omejen na države kandidatke in države, ki jih zajema ESP. V prihodnosti se lahko raziščejo nove oblike sodelovanja.

5. Sklep

Vzhodne in jugovzhodne regije, ki mejijo na EU, so pomembne, kar zadeva zakonite in nezakonite migracije med državami v regiji in v EU. Dialog in sodelovanje na področju migracij sta s številnimi državami te regije že dobro razvita, zlasti kar zadeva boj proti nezakonitemu priseljevanju. Uporaba globalnega pristopa za te regije zahteva, da se v okviru razpoložljivih sredstev sodelovanje še naprej razvija, uravnoveša in razširja– zlasti z boljšim obravnavanjem vprašanj, povezanih z mobilnostjo in razvojno razsežnostjo migracij – da si lahko EU v očeh svojih partnerjev pridobi zaupanje in da se doseže naslednja stopnja sodelovanja z njimi.

V prvi fazi Komisija meni, da je bistvenega pomena, da se ob uporabi okvirov, oblikovanih za razprave o migracijah, v odnosih EU z njenimi državami partnericami v okviru ESP spodbujajo dialog in sporazumi o vprašanjih mobilnosti. Za uresničevanje te prednostne naloge politike je treba do konca leta 2007 narediti oceno sedanjih vizumskih postopkov in raziskati praktične ukrepe za olajševanje mobilnosti za ključne kategorije potnikov v okviru sedanjih vizumskih ureditev. Zaradi premika meja EU po širitvi zahteva zdaj spodbujanje regionalnega sodelovanja s črnomorsko regijo in znotraj nje, zlasti na področjih nadzora meja in boja proti nezakonitemu priseljevanju, posebno pozornost. Nadaljevati in krepiti je treba tudi sodelovanje z Rusko federacijo. Poleg tega se bo nadaljevala krepitev dialoga in sodelovanja z državami in regijami izvora, ki ležijo dlje na vzhodu.

Glavni cilj uporabe globalnega pristopa za te regije je obdržati skladnost politike ter zagotoviti dopolnjevanje z dialogom, ki je v teku, in pobudami za sodelovanje na področju migracij in s tem povezanih vprašanj, ki že potekajo v splošnem okviru politike EU na področju zunanjih odnosov. Komisija bo za usklajenost globalnega pristopa v teh regijah ob tesnem sodelovanju in usklajevanju z državami članicami in vsemi drugimi s tem povezanimi akterji zagotovila skladnost in dopolnjevanje ter ustrezno spremljanje s časovnim načrtom, kadar bo to mogoče.

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. Glossary

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 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 podlagi Sporočila Komisije o globalnem pristopu leto pozneje: za celovito evropsko migracijsko politiko , november 2006 – COM(2006) 735.

[2] Kot določa Resolucija Varnostnega sveta ZN št. 1244.

[3] V primeru Belorusije bi moral dialog potekati v skladu z omejitvami, ki veljajo za odnose med EU in Belorusijo glede stikov z organi, in znotraj regionalnega okvira.

[4] Turčija je bila decembra 1999 uradno priznana kot država kandidatka. Pristopna pogajanja so se začela 3. oktobra 2005. Hrvaška je tudi država kandidatka, ki se pogaja za članstvo v EU. Nekdanja jugoslovanska republika Makedonija je status države kandidatke dobila decembra 2005, vendar še ni začela pristopnih pogajanj.

[5] Medtem ko SPS s Hrvaško in SPS z Nekdanjo jugoslovansko republiko Makedonijo že veljata, pa je bil SPS z Albanijo podpisan, vendar še ni ratificiran, s Črno goro je bil parafiran, pogajanja za SPS z Bosno in Hercegovino so zaključena, pogajanja za SPS s Srbijo pa so trenutno ustavljena.

[6] Sporazum ES o ponovnem sprejemu z Albanijo velja od maja 2006; sporazumi o ponovnem sprejemu z Bosno in Hercegovino, Srbijo, Nekdanjo jugoslovansko republiko Makedonijo in Črno goro so bili parafirani in naj bi začeli veljati pred koncem leta 2007.

[7] Z Belorusijo ne velja noben SPS in v skladu s sklepi Sveta odnosi EU z Belorusijo temeljijo na dvotirni politiki, saj vzporedno z omejenimi stiki na ministrski ravni obstaja pomoč ES, katere cilja sta demokratizacija in podpora za potrebe prebivalstva.

[8] Pogajanja za sporazum o trgovini in sodelovanju z Iranom so se začela leta 2002. Zaradi jedrske krize v Iranu po juliju 2005 ni bil možen noben krog pogajanj. Ko bo mogoče pogajanja za sporazum o trgovini in sodelovanju nadaljevati, lahko EU in Islamska republika Iran ugotovita, da je v njunem skupnem interesu v sporazum vključiti posebne določbe o dialogu in sodelovanju v zvezi z vprašanji migracij.

[9] Komisija je novembra 2006 začela pogajanja o sporazumu o trgovini in sodelovanju z Irakom. Dialog z Irakom o migracijah, vizumih in azilu bo v glavnem odvisen od varnostnih razmer v Iraku, pa tudi od obsega, do katerega bo iraška uprava povečala svoje zmogljivosti.

[10] COM(2001) 469, 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.