Report on the operationalisation of the European Border and Coast Guard

Protecting the external borders of the European Union, including through the European Border and Coast Guard, is one of the key pillars of the comprehensive European policy on migration on which the European Union is delivering in order to address the immediate, medium as well as long term needs identified in the European Agenda on Migration.

The European Border and Coast Guard follows the concept and principles of integrated border management and brings together, in the spirit of shared responsibility, a robust European border agency with the border guard authorities of the Member States, including coast guards to the extent that they carry out border control tasks. The primary role and competence of the Member States in reinforcing the control at the external border, on the basis of their own existing capacities of more than 100,000 border and coast guard officers, is essential to achieve this objective.

Rolling out the activities and tools of the European Border and Coast Guard just three months after the entry into force of the new Regulation promises additional guarantees for reinforcing the management and security of the EU's external borders. This report takes stock of the progress made in the set priority areas and identifies next steps to make sure that we have a fully operational and equipped European Border and Coast Guard in place. This will enable the European Union and its Member States to respond quickly and effectively to migration challenges on the external borders. This report is the first in a series of regular reports which will contribute to having the right tools and responses in place for a much better protection of the external borders.

ESO: Background information: European Agenda on Migration: Commission reports on progress in making the new European Border and Coast Guard fully operational http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-agenda-on-migration-commission-reports-on-progress-in-making-the-new-european-border-and-coast-guard-fully-operational/

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