This week, Frontex
invited the top officials from airports around Europe to Venice,
Italy, to discuss maintaining high border control standards at EU
airports amid the rapidly growing numbers of travellers.
As millions of travellers take to the sky each year, effective
exchange of information and the use of the newest border management
tools such as biometrics on the move are essential to maintain the
freedom of movement within the EU, while ensuring the safety of its
external borders.
“Europe is only as
secure as its outside borders. Maintaining our freedom of movement
and the further development of our economies has to go hand in hand
with efficient and modern border control. With this conference we
want to enhance integrated border management at European airports,
making sure that the rise in air travel does not negatively affect
border security and the comfort of travellers,” said Frontex Deputy
Executive Director Berndt Koerner.
The Head of Airports conference in Venice is a platform that helps
improve existing cooperation and coordination at national and
international levels as part of integrated border management. Over
150 officials participated in the event, including directors of
border guard services at Europe’s major international airports.
One of the topics of
discussion was the introduction of the European Travel Information
and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which is expected to be implemented
by 2020.
Together with
eu-LISA and Europol, Frontex is already preparing for the
implementation of ETIAS, which will provide an additional layer of
control by determining whether visa-exempt non-EU nationals are
eligible to travel to the Schengen Area. ETIAS will help improve
internal security, limit public health risks and reduce delays at the
borders by identifying persons who may pose a risk before they arrive
at the EU’s external borders.
The conference also
focused on combatting document fraud at airports. To assist Member
States in detecting counterfeit travel documents, Frontex introduced
the newly established Centre of Excellence for Combating Document
Fraud. It will offer assistance to border guards in detecting
fraudulent travel documents. The Centre will support member states
and Europol in investigations and will contribute to the European
Document Fraud Risk Analysis Network, research and innovation
projects and training for border guards to help them detect document
fraud.
