Border Management & Irregular Migration
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- Institutional Framework, Organisation and Capacities
- International Standards:
- A unified, structured system to facilitate co-ordination and co-operation throughout all levels
- The structure of an agency and its place in the government is clearly outlined
- A sine qua non for management of irregular migration is the existence of an adequate set-up and sufficient capacities of the relevant authorities
- A coordinated approach to the gathering of information on legal and illegal migration
- Comprehensive standard operating procedures must be updated regularly
- Trainings of Officials with Responsibility for Migration and Border Management
- International Standards:
- Proper training, including in country and specialized training of relevant officials, for proper functioning of migration management
- Components of the training
- Induction training, covering everything required to operate effectively at the border and inland
- National immigration law
- International legal norms and principles and best practices relating to immigration, asylum-seekers and refugees
- Identification and registration of migrants
- Protection of vulnerable categories
- Management of immigration detention facilities
- Management of expulsion, deportation and assisted voluntary return in line with national law and international standards, including international human rights law
- Provision of humanitarian assistance
- Language training, in particular, English
- Training for managers, particularly on how to work with colleagues from different departments, army, police, etc.
- Computer skills
- Inter-Service and Interagency Cooperation and Coordination
- International Standards:
- Proper functioning of coordination and cooperation processes between key actors
- A coordinated approach to information-gathering
- Cooperation at all levels of the agency or ministry both horizontally and vertically
- Inter-agency arrangements. The provisions of the agreements should include:
- Information and data exchange obligations and mechanisms
- Joint risk analysis and/or sharing of risk assessment reports
- Day-to-day cooperation procedures at Border Crossing Points and inland, including joint operations and controls
- Joint training
- Sharing of equipment and facilities, and joint procurement
- Early warning and contingency plans
- Sources:
- Effective Control of Entry and Exit Ports and Border SurveillanceInteragency Cooperation and Coordination
- International Standards:
- Management of border crossing points (BCPs)
- A functioning central authority responsible for managing all issues relating to and overseeing the work of BCPs, whether airports, land border crossing points or ports
- A clear division of tasks between border management agencies
- The chain of command between policy and operational levels is outlined
- Networked systems allowing for quick and easy connection from the centre to the BCPs
- A recordkeeping database
- Acts that are offences are clearly defined and corresponding penalties have been clearly stated
- Responsibilities of border security personnel
- Conduct of border checks
- Screening, searching and establishing the identity of persons
- Providing case management and legal advice
- Providing formal status and documentation
- Applying basic human health, plants and plant product, animal and food and feed checks on behalf of other services
- Crime Prevention
- Border surveillance
- Information gathering, recording and sharing
- Confidentiality and respect for privacy
- Investigations
- Asylum-seekers
- Restraint in the use of force
- Law enforcement
- Specific responsibilities for customs agencies:
- Inspect vehicles and persons crossing the border
- Ensure that all goods or animals transported are declared and compliant with legislation and prohibitions and restrictions protecting the safety and security of citizens and the environment
- Check validity, authenticity and accuracy of documents
- Issue documents and certificates
- Collect revenues and duties
- Conduct investigations and operations to combat smuggling and fraud
- Collect statistics, gather and analyse information in order to identify and counter risks to the security of the border
- Assist in the surveillance of the border
- Provide support for search and rescue operations
- Rights of border security personnel
- Sources:
- Guidelines for integrated border management in European external cooperation, 2010
- (EU IBM guidelines), p. 29, 30, 35 ff, 47 ff, 53 ff, 58 ff.
- Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (15 March 2006) establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code): Article 12
- Council of the European Union, Commission Recommendation establishing a common “Practical Handbook for Border Guards (Schengen Handbook)” to be used by Member States’ competent authorities when carrying out the border control of persons (November 2006): Part II, Section I,11; Part III
- “Ethics of Border Security”, Centre for the Study of Global Ethics University of Birmingham, commissioned by Frontex, (ethics study), p. 29
- Asylum Processes (fair and efficient asylum procedures), prepared by UNHCR for the Global Consultations on International Protection, p. 2001, point 50 i).
- Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 34/169 of 17 December 1979, Article 3.
- Guideline 19, Twenty Guidelines on Forced Returns, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, 2005 (Twenty Guidelines on Forced Returns)
- International Cooperation
- International Standards:
- Relating to border checks and customs control:
- The bodies responsible for its implementation
- The designation of contact points
- Areas of cooperation
- Form of cooperation
- Technical issues
- Relating to migrants’ countries of origin, countries of transit and destination for onward migration
- Relating to the regulation of migration
- Relating to the readmission of migrants
- Sources:
- Guidelines for integrated border management in European external cooperation, 2010
- (EU IBM guidelines), p. 67-68 ff.
- Draft SADC Guidelines for Coordinated Border Management
- A Practical Guide on Best Practices and Tools for Implementation, 2011
- (SADC guidelines), p.
- UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNHCR Position on Readmission Agreements, 'Protection Elsewhere' and Asylum Policy, 1 August 1994, 3 European Series 2, p. 465
- Respect of Migrants’ Rights
- International Standards:
- Prohibition on torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment
- Respect for human dignity
- Non-discrimination
- Provision of basic needs and welfare
- Data protection
- Sources:
- Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 34/169 of 17 December 1979, Article 2
- Guidelines for integrated border management in European external cooperation, 2010
- (EU IBM guidelines), p.
- Draft SADC Guidelines for Coordinated Border Management
- A Practical Guide on Best Practices and Tools for Implementation, 2011
- (SADC guidelines), p.
- Expulsion and Deportation
- International Standards:
- Reasons for deportation
- Procedural guarantees
- Aliens may be expelled only in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law
- Decisions on expulsion and deportation should be in writing
- Decisions on expulsion and deportation should indicate the reasons for the decision
- Decisions on expulsion and deportation should be communicated in a language the migrant understands
- Access to legal assistance or aid
- Remedies against expulsion decision
- Risk of human rights violations upon expulsion
- Prohibition against collective expulsion
- Information
- Status and documentation
- Immigration courts
- Diplomatic assistance
- Sources:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 13
- Protocol No. 4 to the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 4
- Protocol No. 7 to the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 1
- African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 12
- Arab Charter on Human Rights, Article 26
- 1990 Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (Migrant Workers Convention), Articles 22 and 23
- Council of Europe, Twenty Guidelines on Forced Return, September 2005, Guidelines 2, 3, 4, 5
- EU Directive 2008/115/EC on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals (EU Return Directive), Articles 12, 13.1, 13.3, 13.4
- Handbook for preventing unnecessary immigration detention, prepared by the International Detention Coalition, 2015, p. 31
- Detention
- International Standards:
- Reason for detention
- Vulnerable Persons
- Asylum-Seekers
- Long-Term Resident Migrants
- Sources:
- Twenty Guidelines on Forced Return, based on Article 5 ECHR, Guideline 6
- EU Return Directive, Article 15 (a) and (b)
- Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, Principle 5(2)
- 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Article 31
- Guidelines on the Applicable Criteria and Standards relating to the Detention of Asylum-Seekers and Alternatives to Detention, published by UNHCR, 2012
- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Recommendation No. 1504, 2001, Non-expulsion of long-term immigrants, Recommendation 9
- Asylum Procedures
- International Standards:
- Access to procedure
- Responsible authority
- Legal counselling
- Interpretation
- Access to IGOs and NGOs
- Personal interview
- Asylum-seekers with special needs
- Unaccompanied or separated children
- Forms of decisions
- Legal remedies
- Sources:
- Further Developing Asylum Quality in the European Union, prepared by UNHCR, 2011
- UNHCR Handbook and guidelines for determining refugee status under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees Reissued, 2011
- An Overview of Protection Issues in Europe Legislative Trends and Positions Taken by UNHCR, Published by UNHCR in European Series Volume 1 – No 3 – 1995/09
- EU Asylum Procedures Directive, Articles 6, 9, 11, 12, 15, 22, 46
- Asylum Processes (fair and efficient asylum procedures), prepared by UNHCR for the Global Consultations on International Protection, 2001 -- point 50
- Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, “Child Refugee Claimants: Procedural and Evidentiary Issues”, 1996
- UNHCR, Guidelines on Policies and Procedures in Dealing with Unaccompanied Children Seeking Asylum, 1997
- EU Council Resolution of 26 June 1997 on unaccompanied minors who are nationals of third countries
- Save the Children Alliance in Europe/UNHCR, “Separated Children in Europe Programme: Statement of Good Practice”, 2000
- Accountability and Transparency
- International Standards:
- Oversight
- Internal
- External (Parliamentarian)
- External (Audit)
- Incorruptibility of Border Security Personnel
- Smuggling of Migrants
- International Standards:
- Definition
- Criminalisation
- Penalties
- Trafficking of Migrants
- International Standards:
- Definition
- Criminalisation
- Enforce safety regulations and ensure safety of persons
- Relevant International Treaties
- The 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- The 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- The 1969 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
- The 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
- The 1987 Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
- The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- The 2006 Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances
- The 2007 Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities
- The 1990 Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (Migrant Workers Convention)
- The 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
- Annex II Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UN TIP Protocol)
- Annex III Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
- The Agreement of 2009 on the Convention on the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others