Supplementary written evidence by the
Home Office, Liam Byrne MP, Minister of State
I am writing regarding the additional evidence
I said I would provide at the oral evidence session before your
committee on Wednesday 12 December. I have attached a breakdown
of the Frontex operations the UK has taken part in 2007 and have
set out below responses to two points which we did not have time
to address on 12 December.
Regarding training, the UK makes a significant
contribution to production and delivery of Frontex, offering expertise
in document forgery detection and use of detection technology.
UK Training experts have contributed to developing both the Common
Core Curriculum for EU border guards and common standards on forgery
detection and use of detection technology, in addition to delivering
courses and developing an international CD Rom on forgery detection
training.
The UK also lends training and language expertise
to ensure that all Member States benefit from our learning and
development experiences and practices. We therefore contribute
significantly to the enhanced professionalism of all EU Border
Guards, whilst at the same time helping to secure the UK border
by strengthening the competencies of those guards who operate
on transit routes and at the external Schengen borders.
56 days were spent providing UK input to Frontex
training in 2007; 21 days for delivery of the mid-level officers'
course; and 35 days spent on project development. The cost in
staff time has been estimated at £6,517 and 100% of the costs
were reimbursable by Frontex.
Regarding lessons learned, Frontex operations
have shown that it is possible to coordinate Member States border
control efforts into effective common action despite national
differences. Participation in Frontex operations has provided
the UK with insight into the border management process of others,
particularly of maritime borders where we have limited experience.
It has provided valuable intelligence and operational information.
We have learnt that the cooperation and, where
possible, involvement of third countries of transit/embarkation
has proved to be crucial to the success of maritime and land border
operations. Frontex is not able to be totally effective on its
own. For example, Operation Hera, a maritime operation off the
Canaries in 2006-07, was only successful due to the participation
not only of several EU Member States, including the UK, but also
Mauritania and Senegal. In participation with these third countries,
the operation included joint patrolling by air and sea of West
Africa, turning back un-seaworthy vessels, debriefing of irregular
migrants who survived the journey, and returning those found to
be economic migrants. The result was a 50% cut in illegal migration
into the Canaries in 2007 compared to 2006.
You will also be aware that we have now received
the full judgment of the ECJ on our case challenging exclusion
from the Frontex (and Passports) Regulations. The ECJ has found
against us in both cases. We are disappointed by the judgment
of the Court and are considering its implications.
This judgment does not prevent us from continuing
to participate in Frontex measures on a case by case basis with
agreement from the management board and we will continue to maintain
high levels of passport security in line with the measures introduced
by our European partners.
21 December 2007
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