Fonds voor de buitengrenzen 2007-2013 – Malta
The Commission has adopted the multiannual programme under the External Borders Fund 2007-2013 for Malta for an estimated amount of € 112 million, together with the first two annual programmes (2007 and 2008).
Vice President Jacques BARROT in charge of the Justice, Freedom and Security portfolio, welcomed the adoption of the multiannual programme for the implementation of the External Borders Fund. "The approval of this multiannual programme is an important step for Malta, being one of the Member States facing considerable challenges at the Southern borders of the EU. Through this programme Malta has shown its commitment to strengthening its capacity for effective border control thus contributing to the European common integrated border management system.
Malta has chosen to implement four of the Fund's five strategic priorities:
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-Further gradual establishment of the common integrated border management system;
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-Development of the national components of a European Surveillance system and/or a permanent European Patrol Network at the southern maritime borders;
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-Support for the issuing of visas and the tackling of illegal immigration by the consular services of the Member States in third countries;
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-Establishment of IT systems required by Community rules on external borders and visas (VIS and SIS);
Among the projects financed in the 2007 and 2008 annual programmes in Malta are:
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-The modernisation of the communications infrastructure supporting maritime border control activities;
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-The purchase of operating equipment for the Immigration Police such as means of transport and surveillance equipment;
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-The upgrade of security features in the visa section of a number of Malta’s missions in third countries, including biometrics;
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-The purchase of four new patrol vessels for more rapid intervention capabilities;
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-The investment in IT systems to finalise the migration to the Schengen Information System II.
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Background:
The External Borders Fund is one of the four financial instruments of the General Programme on "Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows" which encourages a fair share of responsibilities between Member States arising from the introduction of integrated management of the external borders and from the implementation of common policies on asylum and immigration. The other three Funds are: the European Fund for the Integration of Third country nationals, the European Return Fund and the European Refugee Fund.
The External Borders Fund establishes a financial solidarity mechanism to support countries which endure, for the benefit of the Community, a lasting and heavy financial burden arising from the implementation of common standards on control and surveillance of external borders and visa policy.
The overall budget of this Fund for 2007-2013 is € 1820 million, distributed as follows:
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-€ 1543 million distributed among Member States on the basis of objective criteria expressing the burden of each state for external border control and visa policy for actions under national programmes;
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-€ 109 million (6%) directly managed by the Commission and dedicated to Community actions.
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-€ 108 million for the Kaliningrad transit scheme implemented by Lithuania
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-€ 60 million for specific actions at strategic border points at the external borders on the basis of risk analyses carried out by the FRONTEX Agency.
For more information on the activities of Vice-President Barrot, please see: