In February 2020, Frontex and the Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG Home) signed Terms of Reference regarding Frontex’s role in the EU’s Research & Innovation Programmes, which laid the foundation for closer partnership and enhanced Frontex contribution to maximising EU research as a joint goal-oriented effort.
Under these Terms of Reference, Frontex provides its assistance to DG Home in relation to projects in the border security domain, namely in the areas of programming, evaluation of research proposals, monitoring and assimilation of project results.
Frontex actively participates in a wide range of selected activities in border-security projects, such as tests, trials and demonstrations of technologies.
In 2021, Frontex provided user-perspective contributions to the EU-funded border security research projects, such as feedback to projects, participation in Horizon 2020 projects reviews, meetings, workshops and demonstrations, facilitation of interaction with Frontex operational departments and initiation of common endeavours, dissemination of the projects content and results to the EBCG community.
In addition to the ongoing projects (MIRROR, PERCEPTIONS, ARESIBO, D4FLY, BorderSense, ILEAnet, MEDEA, ITFLOWS, METICOS, ISOLA, ENTRANCE, BorderUAS, iMARS, EFFECTOR), six new projects have been launched in 2021 and will be monitored and supported by Frontex during their lifetime:
Project CRITERIA will develop a novel risk analysis and vulnerability methodology building upon existing methodologies such as CIRAM and introducing new, more complex and effective indicators, which overcome important limitations of existing models.
Project AI-ARC has the purpose to create a new system (Virtual Control Room), based on artificial intelligence, which facilitates the creation of situational picture in the Arctic Ocean region.
Project SilentBorder aims to develop and validate a new high-technology CRT (Cosmic-ray tomography) scanner for border guards, customs and other law enforcement agencies, which will enable safe and fast screening, detection, and identification of hazardous, illegal and contraband goods, as well as persons hidden in containers.
Project MULTISCAN 3D investigates a new all-in-one system for cargo inspection, whose purpose is to become simultaneously a user-friendly, flexible and relocatable solution. The main body of the research will be followed by lab validations and real-environment demonstrations.
Project PROMENADE will develop new technologies that will provide Border Guards Authorities with a service-based toolkit for automatic vessel detection, tracking, and behaviour analysis. These technologies will implement innovative algorithms for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applied to maritime surveillance reporting systems, databases, and other information sources.
Project NESTOR aims to demonstrate a fully functional next-generation holistic border surveillance system providing pre-frontier situational awareness beyond maritime and land borders.
The mentioned projects are listed in the dedicated section of the Frontex website and they are the last ones within the scope of the Horizon 2020 programme.
Starting with Horizon Europe – the new framework programme for research and innovation - Frontex’s role is further strengthened, since the border-management-related research proposals formulated by the consortia of industry and academia are requested to address the priorities of the EBCG community and engage with Frontex in the implementation of the projects. The mentioned proposals should also give Frontex a key role in validating the project outcomes, with the aim of facilitating future uptake of innovations for the border and coast guard community.