New External Border Management Measures Proposed

European Union

The European Commission has proposed draft regulations to manage the European Union's external borders and to protect the Schengen area, including the establishment of a European Border and Coast Guard and systematic checks against relevant databases for all travelers entering or exiting the Schengen area.

European Border and Coast Guard

The proposed European Border and Coast Guard would:

• Establish a border guards reserve with at least 1,500 experts that can be deployed in under three days;
• Allow for the acquisition of equipment and the ability to use technical equipment provided by the EU Member States; and
• Establish a monitoring and risk analysis center to track immigration into the European Union and to address weak spots.

Additionally, EU Member States would be able to request joint operations and rapid border interventions and deployment of the European Border and Coast Guard Teams to support such efforts. 

A new office and related policy document would be established to efficiently deport illegal third-country nationals.

Proposed Schengen Borders Code Amendments

To increase security within the Schengen area, the Commission is proposing to introduce mandatory systematic checks of EU nationals at external land, sea, and air borders into the Schengen Borders Code to verify that those arriving do not represent a threat to public order and internal security.  Biometric and passport checks would also be mandatory when exiting the European Union.

What This Means for Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals should be prepared for stricter border inspections when entering and exiting the European Union and Schengen area.

Fragomen will report on developments with the proposals as more information becomes available.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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