Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Applying the Global Approach to Migration to the Eastern and South-Eastern Regions Neighbouring the European Union
Date: 2007-05-16
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU relations, admission of aliens, cooperation policy, migration control, occupational migration, third country

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 8.6.2007 
COM(2007) 247 final/2 

CORRIGENDUM : Table 7, p. 82 
Concerne EN, FR, DE 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS  

Applying the Global Approach to Migration to the Eastern and South-Eastern Regions 
Neighbouring the European Union 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3 

Countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU ................. 4 

2.1. 

Turkey and the Western Balkans ................................................................................. 5 

2.1.1.  Current framework for dialogue................................................................................... 5 

2.1.2.  Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 6 

2.2. 

European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries in Eastern Europe and the 
Southern Caucasus ....................................................................................................... 7 

2.2.1.  Current framework for dialogue................................................................................... 7 

2.2.2.  Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 8 

2.3. 

Russian Federation ....................................................................................................... 9 

2.3.1.  Current framework for dialogue................................................................................... 9 

2.3.2.  Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 10 

3. 

3.1. 

Other regions.............................................................................................................. 11 

Eastern Mediterranean ENP partner countries (Syria, Lebanon and Jordan)  
and other Middle Eastern countries (Iran and Iraq) ................................................... 11 

3.1.1.  Current framework for dialogue................................................................................. 11 

3.1.2.  Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 11 

3.2. 

Central Asia................................................................................................................ 12 

3.2.1.  Current framework for dialogue................................................................................. 12 

3.2.2.  Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 12 

3.3. 

Asian countries of origin............................................................................................ 12 

3.3.1.  Current framework for dialogue................................................................................. 12 

3.3.2.  Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 13 

4. 

5. 

Improving coordination.............................................................................................. 14 

Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 15 

Annex I: Acronyms and glossary ............................................................................................. 17 

Annex  II:  Examples  of  EU  cooperation  with  and  assistance  to  countries  covered  by  the 
Communication ........................................................................................................................ 20 

Annex III: Overview of the migratory situation and flows from and in the Eastern and South-
Eastern regions neighbouring the EU and statistics ................................................................. 72 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
Applying the Global Approach to Migration to the Eastern and South-Eastern Regions 
Neighbouring the European Union 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

In December 2005, the European Council adopted the Global Approach to Migration. 
It  initially  focused  on  Africa  and  the  Mediterranean  region.  In  its  Conclusions  of 
December  20061,  the  European  Council  called  on  the  Commission  "to  make 
proposals on enhanced dialogue and concrete measures" with regard to applying the 
Global  Approach  to  the  Eastern  and  South-Eastern  regions  neighbouring  the  EU. 
This Communication responds to that invitation. It suggests an approach based on the 
'migratory route' concept (see Annex I for a glossary of all terms used in this text and 
an explanation of acronyms).  

The  main  focus  of  this  Communication  is  the  Eastern  and  South-Eastern  regions 
neighbouring the EU which, in the view of the Commission, comprise: 

Turkey, the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, including Kosovo2); the 
European  Neighbourhood  Policy  (ENP)  partner  countries  in  Eastern  Europe 
(Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus3) and the Southern  Caucasus  (Armenia, Azerbaijan 
and Georgia); and the Russian Federation.  

In implementing this Communication, recommendations that relate directly to these 
countries  should  be  considered  in  the  first  instance.  However,  applying  the  Global 
Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU according 
to the concept of 'migratory routes' also requires consideration of countries of origin 
and transit further afield. Attention must therefore also be paid to: 

Middle  Eastern  ENP  partner  countries  (Syria,  Jordan  and  Lebanon),  Iran  and  Iraq; 
Central  Asia  (Kazakhstan,  Kyrgyzstan,  Tajikistan,  Turkmenistan  and  Uzbekistan); 
and  Asian  countries  of  origin  such  as  China,  India,  Pakistan,  Afghanistan, 
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. 

For these countries and regions, this Communication provides recommendations for 
the more medium to long term. 

With all the countries listed the Community has an institutional framework in place 
within  which  political  and  economic  dialogue  and  cooperation  relations  have  been 
established,  generally  including  the  area  of  migration.  An  account  of  these 
frameworks  has  been  given  in  this  Communication  for  each  group  of  countries.  In 
some  cases,  dialogue  and  cooperation  on  migration  and  related  areas  (such  as 
employment and education) are already very developed. Any potential reinforcement 
of  dialogue  and  cooperation  on  migration  should  build  on  existing  dialogue  and 

1 

2 
3 

Based  on  the  Commission  Communication  on  The  Global  Approach  One  Year  On:  Towards  a 
comprehensive European migration policy, November 2006 - COM(2006) 735. 
As defined in UN Security Council Resolution 1244. 
In the case of Belarus, dialogue should take place in line with the restrictions applying to EU-Belarus 
relations on contacts with the authorities and within a regional framework. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
cooperation, while fully integrating related questions and actors notably in the area of 
labour  migration.  Annex  II  gives  an  indicative  list  of  many  ongoing  cooperation 
projects in the field of migration, visas and border control funded by the EC in these 
countries, and it is important that such cooperation continues  to be  highlighted and 
given visibility.  

In applying the Global Approach, a comprehensive analysis is required of legal and 
illegal  movements,  global  labour  supply  and  demand,  labour  migration  and  the 
management  of  economic  migration,  and  the  need  for  international  protection. 
Migratory  routes,  trends  and  potential  changes  of  routes  also  need  to  be  examined. 
Annex III provides some preliminary conclusions on the region in this regard as well 
as various sets of statistics. The importance of this region for the EU is already clear. 
Around  one  third  of  all  third  country  nationals  living  in  the  EU  are  nationals  from 
Eastern  and  South-Eastern  neighbouring  countries  and  the  Russian  Federation. 
Eastern  enlargement  of  the  EU  in  2004  and  2007  has  changed  the  legal  basis  of 
cross-border  commuting  and  migration  for  many  neighbouring  countries,  while  the 
benefits  of  EU  membership  that  translate  into  high  economic  growth  and  job 
opportunities are making the new Member States more attractive to migration from 
their eastern neighbours. Neighbouring countries are experiencing the effects of both 
brain  gain  and  brain  drain,  and  the  net  benefits  help  mitigate  pressures  in  terms  of 
high unemployment and low income that often result from the difficulties of political 
and economic transition. 

It should be noted that Latin America and the Caribbean have not yet been addressed 
in  the  context  of  the  Global  Approach  to  Migration,  although  migration  is  part  of 
regular  political  dialogue  with  this  region.  Given  the  growing  importance  of 
migration-related  issues  in  relations  with  Latin  American  and  Caribbean  countries, 
the  Commission  will  additionally  address  the  issue  of  migration  with  its  partners 
during the preparation of the next EU/LAC Summit (Lima, May 2008). This will be 
done  in  a  way  that  is  consistent  with  the  Global  Approach  and  that  also  permits 
implementation of commitments taken by both sides at the Vienna Summit of May 
2006. 

2. 

COUNTRIES  IN  THE  EASTERN  AND  SOUTH-EASTERN  REGIONS  NEIGHBOURING  THE 
EU 

In developing the Global Approach with African countries, various tools have proved 
useful in engaging with partner countries, such as migration profiles and cooperation 
platforms on migration and development (see Annex I). These tools may be relevant 
in applying the Global Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions. However, 
their  use  needs  to  be  considered  on  a  country-by-country  and/or  regional  basis,  in 
particular  taking  into  account  existing  frameworks  and  relations  with  the  countries 
and  regions  concerned,  where  their  application  could  add  value.  Moreover,  this 
Communication should be read in conjunction with the Communication on Circular 
migration  and  mobility  partnerships  between  the  European  Union  and  third 
countries, adopted simultaneously. 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
2.1. 

Turkey and the Western Balkans4  

2.1.1.  Current framework for dialogue 

Migration  issues  with  Turkey  –  which  has  had  an  Association  Agreement  with  the 
EU since 1963 – are covered by the 2006 Accession Partnership. 

In the case of the Western Balkans, migration issues are covered by the Stabilisation 
and Association Agreement (SAA), which is the contractual relationship framework 
established or being established with each of them5. Moreover, migration issues are 
covered - often in some detail - in the relevant European or Accession Partnerships 
(in  the  case  of  Croatia  and  Turkey). The  implementation  of  the  Partnerships  is 
monitored  mainly  through  the  annual  Progress  Reports  and  the  meetings  with  the 
countries  concerned.  Migration  issues  are  also  discussed  in  the  framework  of  the 
yearly JLS Ministerial with the Western Balkans countries. 

As  regards  the  candidate  countries  Croatia,  Turkey  and  the  former  Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia, migration issues are discussed in depth in the relevant sub-
committee meetings and may be raised in the context of the Association Committee 
and  Council. In  the  context  of  accession  negotiations  with  Croatia  and  Turkey, 
migration  issues  have  been  screened  and  are  monitored  inter  alia  in  the  Justice, 
Freedom and Security as well as Free Movement of Workers chapters. 

Regarding  the  other  countries  in  the  region, migration  issues  are  dealt  with in  the 
context of specific policy advice and monitoring processes (Consultative Task Force 
with  Albania,  Reform  Monitoring  Process  in  the  case  of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina, 
Enhanced  Permanent  Dialogue  in  the  cases  of  Montenegro  and  Serbia),  including 
through technical group meetings. In relation to Kosovo, these issues are dealt with 
in  the  context  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Process  Tracking  Mechanism 
(STM).  

The  South  East  European  Cooperation  Process  (SEECP)  has  an  increasingly 
important  role  as  a  forum  for  regional  cooperation  in  the  whole  South-Eastern 
European region, and includes cooperation on JLS matters. The SEECP is involved 
in  the  process  of  creating  a  new  regional  framework,  which  will  be  the  regionally 
owned successor of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe.  

All candidate countries or countries with a recognised EU accession perspective are 
already  fully  engaged  in  adopting  the  EU  acquis.  To  help  ensure  that  this  process 
proceeds  without  delays  and  that  meanwhile  flows  along  the  South-Eastern 
migratory  routes  are  better  managed,  the  following  actions  are  proposed  as  general 
priorities. 

4 

5 

Turkey  was  officially  recognised  as  a  candidate  country  in  December  1999.  Accession  negotiations 
were opened on 3 October 2005. Croatia is also a candidate country negotiating for EU membership. 
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was granted candidate country status in December 2005 
but has not yet started accession negotiations. 
While  the  SAA  with Croatia  and  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia  are  in  force,  the  SAA 
with  Albania  has  been  signed  but  not  yet  ratified,  the  SAA  with  Montenegro  has  been  initialled, 
negotiations for an SAA with Bosnia and Herzegovina have been finalised while the negotiations for an 
SAA with Serbia are currently on hold. 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
                                                 
2.1.2.  Recommendations 

•  To  complement  dialogue  on  migration  in  bilateral  and  regional  fora,  national  and  sub-
regional cooperation platforms on migration could further facilitate the dialogue between 
all actors involved, drawing experience from the MARRI Initiative.  

•  Dialogue with candidate and partner country authorities should include discussion of how 
the  developmental  impact  of  migration  can  help  strengthen  stability  and  foster 
growth  in  the  region.  Policies  to  prevent  brain  drain  should  be  developed,  such  as 
investment in training and capacity-building to improve working conditions and to increase 
work  opportunities,  thereby  helping  prevent  skilled  workers  from  leaving.  Ways  of 
reducing the costs of remittance transfers and enhancing their impact on the development 
of  countries  in  this  region  should  be  further  analysed.  Study  visits  of  experts  should  be 
arranged to foster contacts and stimulate direct cooperation between administrations and to 
examine institutional capacity. Workshops could also be organised on different aspects of 
the  migration  and  development  agenda.  Finally,  initiatives  aimed  at  connecting  highly 
skilled  migrants  such  as  scientific  researchers  with  their  countries  of  origin  should  be 
encouraged. 

•  Opportunities  for  circular  migration  should  be  increased,  while  taking  into  account 
existing  short-term  seasonal  cross-border  movements  in  the  region.  Except  for  Croatia 
which already enjoys a visa-free regime with the EU, visa regimes in the region need to be 
further improved and  harmonised in order to  enable labour  circulation. The feasibility of 
offering a wider range of exchange programmes to researchers or students should also be 
explored.  Due  consideration  should  also  be  given  to  ensuring  migrants  are  properly 
prepared for departure, in terms of having a realistic idea of life and labour opportunities in 
the EU. Training or special programmes and labour matching would assist in this process. 
Migration  Portals  will  play  a  key  role  here  and  will  be  operational  by  the  end  of  2007. 
Following  an  evaluation  of  experience  with  existing  Migration  Service  Centres,  these 
could  be  replicated.  The  establishment  of  focal  points  in  each  Ministry  of  Labour  or 
Interior Ministry would help with the formulation of appropriate policy responses that are 
well balanced between labour needs and the security aspects of migration. On short-term 
visas, the implementation of the Community Visa Facilitation Agreements so far initialled 
with  some  Western  Balkans  countries  will  contribute 
improvement  and 
simplification  of  visa  issuing  procedures  for  certain  categories  of  citizens  of  these 
countries. 

the 

to 

•   Legislation on asylum and refugee protection should be strengthened or supplemented 
to  provide  comprehensive  legal  safeguards  for  the  rights  of  persons  who  may  need 
international protection. Montenegro and Serbia have yet to enact basic asylum laws and 
should be encouraged to do so. Turkey has still to amend its main legislation on asylum in 
line  with  the  relevant  acquis,  to  ensure  its  effective  implementation,  and  to  establish  an 
administrative  capacity  in  line  with  EU  best  practices.  In  all  states,  further  efforts  are 
needed to ensure that appropriate legal provisions are implemented in practice. 

•  The fight against illegal migration and trafficking in human beings must be reinforced. 
FRONTEX should further develop its existing relations with countries in the region to this 
end.  Technical  assistance  to  partner  countries,  which  would  include  further  training  of 
border guards and immigration officials as well as developing reliable statistics on reported 
cases, should be provided using instruments such as IPA or twinning and TAIEX. Certain 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
actions relating to border control and migration management in EU candidate countries and 
potential candidate countries could also be supported under the IPA. The EC readmission 
agreements  with  the  Western  Balkans  countries  must  be  implemented  and  the  EC 
readmission agreement with Turkey must be concluded without delay6.  

•  The EU needs to promote closer regional multidisciplinary law enforcement cooperation 
in  combating  organised  crime,  in  particular  through  enhanced  cooperation  between 
Europol  and  the  SECI  Centre  in  Bucharest.  In  this  regard  a  Memorandum  of 
Understanding  between  Europol  and  SECI  shall  be  concluded  addressing  in  particular 
trafficking in human beings, while an operational cooperation agreement is the long term 
objective. 

2.2. 

European  Neighbourhood  Policy  partner  countries  in  Eastern  Europe  and  the 
Southern Caucasus 

2.2.1.  Current framework for dialogue 

The framework for relations with the countries of Eastern Europe and the Southern 
Caucasus  is  the  ENP.  Although  indirectly  mentioned  in  the  Partnership  and 
Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), which form the legal basis of the EC's relationship 
with  these  countries,  cooperation  on  migration,  visa  issues,  asylum,  border 
management and other related economic and social issues feature in all of the ENP 
Action  Plans  which  have  been  agreed  with  eastern  partners.  Some  of  these  partner 
countries  also  have  their  own  National  Action  Programme  on  these  issues.  In  the 
case  of  Ukraine,  there  is  a  separate  JLS  Action  Plan  –  which  is  equivalent  to  that 
section of the Action Plans agreed with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova 
–  and  the  Commission  is  also  working  with  Ukraine  on  the  basis  of  a  scoreboard, 
based on the JLS Action Plan, which contains benchmarks. 

Migration  issues  are  already  discussed  in  depth  with  Moldova  and  Ukraine  in 
relevant  sub-committees  and  are  also  raised  at  the  regular  EU-Ukraine  JLS 
ministerial  troika  as  well  as  during  meetings  of  the  Cooperation  Committee  and 
Cooperation  Council.  A  similar  approach  is  followed  in  the  case  of  the  three 
Southern Caucasus countries whose Action Plans were adopted in November 2006. 
With  each  country,  dialogue  and  cooperation  progress  at  a  different  pace  based  on 
their capacity, size (particularly relevant in the case of Ukraine) and situation. While 
Belarus  is  a  case  apart7,  technical  cooperation  on  matters  relating  to  border  issues, 
migration and organised crime is possible on the basis of working-level contacts with 
Belarusian officials and within the framework of regional dialogue and programmes.  

6 

7 

The  EC  readmission  agreement  with  Albania  has  been  in  force  since  May  2006;  readmission 
agreements  with  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  Serbia,  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia  and 
Montenegro have been initialled and are expected to enter into force by the end of 2007. 
There is no PCA in force with Belarus and, in line with Council Conclusions, the EU’s relationship with 
Belarus is governed by a two-track policy whereby a policy of restricted contacts at Ministerial level is 
paralleled by EC assistance directed at democratisation and support for the needs of the population. 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
                                                 
2.2.2.  Recommendations 

Relations with individual countries of course differ, but short-term priorities should 
include the following: 

•  Although  the  necessary  dialogue  framework  at  bilateral  level  already  exists  with  all  of 
these  countries  (except  Belarus),  actual  dialogue  on  these  issues  needs  to  begin  with 
Armenia,  Azerbaijan  and  Georgia  in  the  context  of  their  ENP  Action  Plans,  whereas  for 
Moldova  and  Ukraine  the  existing  dialogue  is  being  deepened.  Although  relations  with 
Belarus are constrained, expert-level contacts on migration issues should be initiated. Such 
dialogue  is  also  important  for  addressing  the  problem  of  xenophobia  and  its  impact  on 
migration and integration. 

•  At the regional level where migration and related issues are addressed, experience could 
be  drawn  from  the  Söderköping  and  Budapest  processes.  Support  for  improvement  of 
partner  countries’  capacity  to  treat  illegal  migrants  in  accordance  with  international 
standards  should  also  be  strengthened.  This  might  be  in  relation  to  custody  of  illegal 
migrants  and  the  needs  of  victims  of  trafficking  and  other  vulnerable  persons,  as  well  as 
international  refugee  protection  standards  where  these  countries  have  obligations  (i.a.  as 
members  of  the  Council  of  Europe)  but  effective  asylum  and  refugee  protection  laws, 
processes and practices are still lacking. Work should continue with relevant organisations, 
including on reintegration of returnees. 

•  In promoting a comprehensive approach to migration, the Black Sea region is of particular 
importance in terms of transit migration and trafficking. Using the cooperation structures 
in  the  Baltic  Sea  as  a  source  of  inspiration,  of  the  feasibility  of  setting  up  a  regional 
cooperation platform should be explored, which will bring together relevant EU Member 
States,  EU  agencies,  other  countries  bordering  the  Black  Sea  and  regional  organisations 
such as SECI, the BSEC, the Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (TF-OC) and the 
Black  Sea  Forum,  in  an  effort  to  better  manage  migration.  In  this  context,  information 
sharing could be promoted and patrol and surveillance activities could be coordinated. EU 
contributions  can  range  from  training  (twinning)  of  law  enforcement  officials  to 
cooperation  with  FRONTEX  and  Europol,  and  from  issues  such  as  social  protection  and 
training of officials for labour matters to rehabilitation of victims of trafficking.  

•  As the Commission explained in its December 2006 Communication, mobility of persons 
is of the utmost importance for ENP partners and also for the EU, in order to fully deliver 
on this foreign policy priority. The Commission therefore suggested that there should be a 
"very  serious  examination  of  how  visa  procedures  can  be  made  less  of  an  obstacle  to 
legitimate travel from neighbouring countries to the EU (and vice versa)…in the context of 
broader  packages  to  address  related  (JLS)  issues".  Consequently,  mobility  partnerships 
for  these  countries  must  be  considered,  including  in  particular  possibilities  for  visa 
facilitation, work permits and information related to seasonal labour market needs within 
the  EU.  The  feasibility  of  such  a  partnership  with  Ukraine,  amongst  others,  should  be 
explored as a priority. 

•  In  addition,  visa  facilitation  should  be  provided  for  non-work  purposes  (i.e.  business, 
educational  and  tourism  purposes)  and  for  officials  attending  relevant  reform-related 
meetings,  as  is  already  possible  within  the  existing  Common  Consular  Instructions.  The 
Commission now strongly recommends that this be applied, particularly by those Member 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
States  in  which  most  relevant  meetings  take  place  (i.e.  those  hosting  the  EU  institutions 
and  those  holding  the  rotating  Presidency).  In  particular,  the  Commission  would  call  for 
this  to  be  done,  with  immediate  effect,  for  people  travelling  on  'EU  business'  (which 
represents a very small proportion of visa applications), for which it will provide letters of 
recommendation to and continue to work with the relevant EU Member State Embassy or 
Consulate.  

•  Migrants'  remittances  are  also  of  importance  in  this  region,  with  Armenia,  Georgia, 
Moldova  and  Ukraine  among  the  most  remittance-dependent  countries  in  the  world. 
Opportunities to reduce transaction costs of remittances and to enhance their impact on the 
development  of  the  country  of  origin  should  be  explored  (recalling  that  remittances  are 
private  in  nature).  Equally,  ways  to  stimulate  the  socio-economic  development  of  these 
countries  by  preventing  further  brain  drain,  facilitating  the  voluntary  return  of  (highly) 
skilled  persons  and  encouraging  the  large  diasporas  to  contribute  to  the  development  of 
their country of origin need to be supported. Initiatives aimed at connecting highly skilled 
migrants such as scientific researchers with their countries of origin should be encouraged.  

•  Attention  should  be  given  to  the  conclusion  of  readmission  agreements.  A  readmission 
agreement has already been initialled with Ukraine and negotiations have been completed 
with  Moldova  with  the  aim  of  having  the  agreement  enter  into  force  as  soon  as  possible 
during 2007. Initiating negotiations with the other countries should also be considered in 
the future. For those that have such agreements with the EU, the focus should then be on 
their  capacity  to  implement  those  agreements,  as  well  as  encouragement  to  reach  similar 
agreements with their own Eastern and South-Eastern neighbours. 

•  While  already  receiving  substantial  Community  support,  capacity-building  for  these 
countries  should  be  strengthened,  whether  in  relation  to  the  management  of  their  own 
borders (or law enforcement in general) or in increasing their cooperation with each other 
(Ukraine clearly faces particular challenges related to its location and size and the nature of 
its border controls; Belarus has expressed interest in cooperation on border protection and 
organised  crime,  while  the  effective  work  on  tackling  trafficking  from  Belarus  could  be 
further  strengthened).  The  existing  EU  Border  Assistance  Mission  (EUBAM)  on  the 
Moldova-Ukraine  border  is  a  good  example.  These  initiatives  need  to  be  coherent  with 
ongoing efforts to fight corruption and organised crime. 

•  Gaps in legislative and institutional frameworks and the national capacity to collect data 
and  monitor  migratory  flows  may  need  to  be  further  highlighted.  Relevant  technical 
assistance could be provided, for example for the security of travel documents, residence 
permits and visa stickers, and the civil information systems on which they rely. Efforts to 
improve  document  security  will  need  to  profit  from  latest  developments  in  using 
biometrics.  In  addition,  technical  assistance  schemes  could  incorporate  the  creation  of 
specific labour information, training and educational centres. 

2.3. 

Russian Federation 

2.3.1.  Current framework for dialogue 

The  gradual  development  of  the  Road  Map  of  the  Common  Space  on  Freedom, 
Security and Justice, adopted in May 2005, takes place within the framework of the 
EU-Russia  Partnership  and  Cooperation  agreement.  Biannual  meetings  of  the  EU-
Russia  Permanent  Partnership  Council  of  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  Ministers 

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
monitor  the  overall  implementation  of  this  Common  Space.  In  addition,  informal 
dialogue and expert level meetings take place. Our strategic partnership is based on 
common values which underpin EU-Russia relations as enshrined in the Partnership 
and  Cooperation  agreement  and  in  the  Road  Map.  They  explicitly  foresee  the 
strengthening of our cooperation through respect for human rights and fundamental 
freedoms  in  the  EU  Member  States  and  Russia  which,  being  a  member  of  the 
Council  of  Europe,  must  respect  the  provisions  contained  in  the  European 
Convention on Human Rights.  

2.3.2.  Recommendations 

Since the dissolution of the USSR, Russia has been a major destination for refugees 
and economic migrants from neighbouring countries as well as a country with large 
numbers of internally displaced persons. Recently, it has also become a major transit 
country  for  migration  movements  mainly  from  south-east  Asia,  China  and 
Afghanistan towards Western Europe. Cooperation with Russia on migration policy 
and movement of persons is therefore a matter of growing relevance.  

•  There is a need to deepen a comprehensive dialogue with Russia on all migration-related 
issues,  including  asylum,  the  fight  against  illegal  immigration  and  trafficking  in  human 
beings,  labour  migration  and  all  relevant  social  aspects  of  migration.  Enhancing  the 
exchange  of  experience  between  EU  Member  States  and  Russia  on  the  management  of 
labour migration would be particularly fruitful. 

•  Implementation of the priorities set out by the Road Map of the Common Space should 
be intensified, namely the objectives of exchanging information on migration management 
policies  and  best  practices  including  the  assessment  of  statistics  and  to  cooperate  as 
appropriate in relation to third countries. In this context, cooperation between the relevant 
authorities  in  charge  of  implementation  of  the  readmission  and  visa  facilitation 
agreements  should  be  encouraged,  with  close  monitoring  of  the  implementation  process, 
contributing  to  a  more  effective  fight  against  illegal  immigration  while  easing  people-to-
people  contacts.  Moreover,  as  set  up  in  the  Common  Space,  dialogue  to  examine  the 
conditions  for  visa-free  travel  as  a  long-term  objective  has  commenced.  This  newly 
established framework could be used to explore ways to intensify relations in other areas 
related to migration. 

•  Concerns related to Russian legislation implementing the 1951 Refugee Convention need 
to  be  addressed  through  the  strengthening  of  cooperation  on  asylum  with  the  Russian 
Federation. There is also the need to improve protection of internally displaced persons in 
line  with  international  standards,  not  least  to  avoid  pressure  on  the  asylum  systems  of 
neighbouring countries. 

•  The  exchange  of  information  on  the  legislative  framework  in  relation  to  all  forms  of 
trafficking in human beings should be promoted, including in the context of the TF-OC. 
In  particular,  the  implementation  of  the  Europol-Russia  Cooperation  Agreement  of  2003 
on  combating  different  forms  of  transnational  criminal  activities  should  be  intensified. 
Further support should also be given to the work of the TF-OC in combating trafficking in 
human beings, as a tool to improve regional multidisciplinary law enforcement cooperation 
in  the  Baltic  Sea  region  and  in  particular  with  the  Russian  Federation.  Ways  of 
strengthening  the  roles  of  Europol  and  FRONTEX  in  the  Baltic  Sea  region  should  be 
explored. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
•  Effective  operational  cooperation  as  foreseen  by  the  Terms  of  Reference  between 
FRONTEX and the Russian Border Guard Service is important, in particular for promoting 
best practices in border management. 

3. 

OTHER REGIONS 

3.1. 

Eastern  Mediterranean  ENP  partner  countries  (Syria,  Lebanon  and  Jordan) 
and other Middle Eastern countries (Iran and Iraq) 

3.1.1.  Current framework for dialogue 

As  regards  Lebanon  and  Jordan,  migration  and  related  issues  are  discussed  in  the 
relevant  sub-Committees  on  Migration  and  Social  Affairs  in  the  framework  of  the 
respective Association Agreements and the ENP Action Plans. The Action Plan with 
Lebanon  includes  specific  references  to  cooperation  in  the  field  of  migration  and 
border management, partnership with FRONTEX, the possibility of better managing 
labour migration and visa facilitation. The Jordan Action Plan contains a section on 
migration  issues,  including  the  possibility  of  discussing  cooperation  on  transit 
migration,  asylum  as  well  as  visa  issues.  Border  management  is  another  priority  in 
the Action Plans of both countries. There is no formal bilateral dialogue with Syria 
under  the  current  Cooperation  Agreement.  The  Euro  Mediterranean  Partnership,  in 
which  Lebanon,  Jordan  and  Syria  participate,  also  provides  for  a  regional  dialogue 
on  migration  between  the  EU  and  partner  countries.  There  is  no  framework  for 
dialogue  with  Iran8,  and  no  official  dialogue  on  migration  and  related  issues  with 
Iraq9. 

3.1.2.  Recommendations 

•  Dialogue  with  Lebanon  and  Jordan  on  migration,  visa,  asylum  and  border  management 
issues  will  be  actively  pursued  within  the  framework  of  the  respective  sub-committee 
meetings, and according to the priorities set out in the ENP Action Plans. As regards Syria, 
a  bilateral  dialogue  on  migration  will  be  initiated  once  the  Association  Agreement  is 
signed. 

•  Given the growing importance of refugee issues in these countries, particularly in regard to 
the conflict in Iraq and its impact on its neighbours, and taking into account the fact that so 
far most refugees are being accommodated by their host countries (Jordan and Syria being 
the  largest  with  750,000  and  1  million  refugees  respectively),  the  EU  has  to  be  ready  to 
further support and participate in the relevant regional dialogue or cooperation initiatives. 
In their relations with Jordan and Syria, the EU and its Member States should continue to 
promote  conditions  that  allow  the  international  community  to  provide  humanitarian 

8 

9 

Negotiations for a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with Iran were launched in 2002. Due to 
the Iranian nuclear crisis, no round of negotiations could take place after July 2005. When it is possible 
to resume the TCA negotiations, the EU and the Islamic Republic of Iran may find it in their mutual 
interest to include specific provisions for dialogue and cooperation on migration issues. 
In  November  2006  the  Commission  opened  negotiations  for  a  TCA  with  Iraq.  Dialogue  with  Iraq  on 
migration,  visas  and  asylum  will  depend  very  much  on  the  security  situation  in  Iraq,  as  well  as  the 
extent to which the Iraqi administration increases its own capacities.  

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
                                                 
assistance and international protection, including support through rehabilitation and other 
programmes. 

•  Iran should be encouraged to play a more active role in cooperating with its neighbours (in 
particular  Turkey  and  the  Southern  Caucasus,  but  also  Pakistan  and  Afghanistan)  in  the 
prevention and prosecution of smuggling and trafficking in human beings. Pilot forms of 
concrete cooperation at technical level could be explored.  

•  All these countries should also be encouraged to ratify where necessary and implement the 

Geneva Convention and the UNTOC and its supplementing Protocols.  

3.2. 

Central Asia 

3.2.1.  Current framework for dialogue 

Migration  and  related  issues  are  discussed  in  the  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  sub-
Committee meetings foreseen with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan within the framework 
of  the  respective  PCA.  Migration  is  also  discussed  in  the  EU-Kyrgyzstan  PCA 
Cooperation Committee. However, there is no formal bilateral dialogue on migration 
with  Turkmenistan  and  Tajikistan  as  yet.  Regional  dialogue  on  migration  between 
the EU and Central Asia exists in addition to the meetings mentioned above. In time, 
the EU may want to ensure that migration issues are mainstreamed into the political 
and economic dialogue with countries of Central Asia. 

3.2.2.  Recommendations 

•  Further cooperation could be explored in the field of border management, along the lines 
of  the  BOMCA  project,  or  by  other  ongoing  projects  in  the  area  of  labour  migration 
management. 

•  Technical  assistance  could  be  considered  for  countries  in  the  region  to  cooperate  further 
with  the  EU,  Turkey  and  the  Eastern  ENP  partner  countries  in  the  prevention  of  illegal 
immigration and the fight against smuggling and trafficking in human beings.  

•  Partner countries should also be encouraged to ratify where necessary and implement the 

Geneva Convention and the UNTOC and its supplementing Protocols. 

3.3. 

Asian countries of origin 

3.3.1.  Current framework for dialogue 

The  political  framework  for  co-operation  with  Asia  is  the  2001  Communication  on 
Europe  and  Asia:  A  Strategic  Framework  for  Enhanced  Partnerships10,  which 
foresees the strengthening of our dialogue and cooperation with Asia in a number of 
areas,  including  justice  and  home  affairs  issues,  which  includes  visas,  asylum, 
immigration  and  other  policies  related  to  the  free  movement  of  persons,  as  well  as 
social  policy  and  global  challenges  and  opportunities.  The  Commission  considers 
that political and economic dialogue needs to be stepped up at the regional level, in 
fora such as ASEAN and ASEM, as well as bilaterally. 

10 

COM(2001) 469, 4.9.2001. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

 
                                                 
As  for China, high-level consultations take place regularly with the Community on 
questions concerning the fight against illegal immigration and trafficking in human 
beings, focussing on information exchange and confidence building measures. It is in 
this context that information is exchanged on legislation introduced by the two sides 
and that exploratory talks on readmission take place, alongside discussions on legal 
means of travelling to and in Europe.  

3.3.2.  Recommendations 

In addition to migration and development related issues, areas such as visa, asylum, 
immigration and other policies related to the free movement of persons are assuming 
increasing importance in our relations with Asia, notably against the background of 
increasing  trade  relations,  including  trade  in  services;  demographic  change,  with 
strong  population  increase  in  most  of  Asia  contrasting  with  population  decline  in 
Europe;  and  increasing  scope  for  labour  migration  and  for  matching  labour  supply 
and demand at the global level in some sectors of the economy. This is documented 
by  the  rise  in  immigration  from  the  region,  the  development  of  dialogue  on  these 
issues,  the  inclusion  of  migration  in  the  new  Cooperation  Agreements  with  the 
South-East  Asian  countries,  and  the  development  of  global  initiatives  such  as  the 
Bali  process.  In  addition,  some  countries  receive  special  attention  because  of  the 
priority given to them by the EU under the readmission policy. These are countries or 
entities  with  which  the  Community  has  concluded  a  readmission  agreement  (Hong 
Kong,  Macao  and  Sri  Lanka),  is  in  the  process  of  concluding  one  (Pakistan)  or 
intends to negotiate one (China). The EU has also launched bilateral and multilateral 
dialogue with Asia on questions related to labour migration, including employment, 
social  policy  and  education.  While  continuing  to  address  the  root  causes  of 
emigration from third countries in this region as a starting point, therefore: 

•  Ongoing readmission negotiations and initiatives related to the fight against smuggling of 

and trafficking in human beings need to be further supported. 

•  In a medium term perspective, dialogue on all migration issues should become a standard 
aspect of political and economic dialogue with countries in the region. Full use should be 
made  of  the  opportunities  afforded  by  dialogue  in  the  ASEM  framework  and  its  virtual 
secretariat  currently  being  established  to  exchange  information  and  best  practice  on 
migration issues. 

•  Consideration must be given to the potential of labour migration from Asia. Increased and 
well-managed mobility for certain categories of persons from the countries of this region 
can be of high importance to the EU as well as to the socio-economic development of the 
countries themselves. Labour migration has been an important issue on the agenda of the 
newly  established  EU-India  dialogue,  and  there  are  opportunities  to  widen  the  dialogue 
with China, in both sides’ interest, beyond the current focus on illegal migration and tourist 
flows so as to facilitate mobility. An exchange on labour migration has also been initiated 
in the context of ASEM, and the scope for closer dialogue and cooperation with ASEAN in 
this  area  is  currently  being  explored.  The  Commission  therefore  suggests  testing  the 
ground with selected countries in the region via mobility partnerships. 

EN 

13 

   EN 

 
4. 

IMPROVING COORDINATION 

Many  varying  initiatives  are  already  being  taken  in  view  of  promoting  migration 
management  in  neighbouring  and  more  distant  countries  and  regions.  Considering 
that  the  value  of  the  Global  Approach  would  increase  if  more  coherence  and 
complementarity  between  these  initiatives  was  ensured,  the  Commission  proposes 
that  Member  States  contribute  initially  to  completing  the  list  of  all  the  Community 
initiatives in the countries and regions covered by this Communication (see Annex I) 
with the list of their own national initiatives, so that a more complete picture of the 
current situation can be established. 

In addition, more can be done to understand the size and characteristics of migratory 
flows  from  the  East  and  South-East.  Information  available  is  not  systematically 
assembled  or  used.  Several  organisations  hold  valuable  information  for  the  various 
areas  that  are  part  of  the  comprehensive  approach  to  migration.  An  initiative  to 
establish  an  information  exchange  network  between  FRONTEX,  EUROPOL, 
IOM,  ICMPD,  ILO,  various  UN  Agencies  –  UNDP,  UNHCR  and  UNODC  in 
particular – and other international and regional organisations, such as SECI, could 
be considered.  

Given  the  importance  of  trafficking  in  and  smuggling  of  human  beings,  a  more 
coordinated approach is needed in order to drive forward policy initiatives to tackle 
the phenomenon. Concrete initiatives could include further expanding inventories of 
existing  initiatives  (as  already  prepared  by  the  Alliance  Against  Trafficking), 
enhancing  dialogue  with  third  countries  on  promoting  effective  anti-trafficking 
policies, and addressing specific areas of concern such as the protection of victims of 
trafficking  in  particular  women  and  children.  Moreover,  the  EU  should  consider 
actively  participating  in  ongoing  global  initiatives,  such  as  the  UN  Inter-Agency 
Cooperation Group on Human Trafficking (ICAT). The recently adopted programme 
on the 'Prevention of and fight against crime' allows for financial support of projects 
in  priority  domains  such  as  prevention,  protection  and  assistance  to  victims  and 
prosecution and punishment of offenders.  

In  addressing  illegal  flows,  FRONTEX  should  be  given  a  more  prominent  role, 
while ensuring coherence and coordination between its activities and the EU's overall 
external  relations  policy.  Geographical  priorities  of  the  Agency  in  2007  include 
development  of  cooperation  with  Russia,  Ukraine,  Moldova,  Georgia,  the  Western 
Balkans  and  Asian  countries,  in  particular  China,  Pakistan  and  India.  With  the 
strategy and work programme now in place, FRONTEX must be given the resources 
it requires to carry out its mandate effectively and Member States need to ensure they 
have  adequate  resources  available  for  participation  in  FRONTEX  joint  operations 
and  risk  analysis  as  necessary.  The  possibility  of  the  RABIT  being  applied  on  the 
Eastern and South-Eastern borders is also recommended. FRONTEX should further 
develop  appropriate  intelligence  methodologies to  ensure  reliable  risk  analysis,  and 
should also be encouraged to take part in projects, meetings, conferences and training 
with third countries.  

A  more  coordinated  approach  is  also  needed  to  ensure  improvements  in  the 
management of labour migration. Initiatives in this area need to involve all relevant 
actors,  notably  trade,  labour  and  education  ministries  and  other  stakeholders 

EN 

14 

   EN 

 
including social partners. Concrete initiatives should assess and project global labour 
supply  and  demand  by  skill  level  and  address  related  questions  such  as  the 
recognition of skills and qualifications, labour market access, integration of migrants, 
the  promotion  and  facilitation  of  new  forms  of  migration  such  as  temporary  and 
circular migration, and capacity-building of employment services in third countries. 
Initiatives would relate closely to the promotion of decent work for all in the context 
of migration.  

EU  Member  States  could  increase  the  number  of  Immigration  Liaison  Officers 
(ILOs)  in  the  region  and  develop  ILO  networks  on  key  migratory  routes.  The 
Community can contribute to these efforts through the European Borders Fund. 

The  establishment  of  common  visa  application  centres  –  like  the  one  opened  in 
Moldova  with  the  cooperation  of  Austria,  Hungary,  Latvia  and  Slovenia  and  soon 
Estonia  and  Denmark  –  could  also  help  to  share  service  provision  among  Member 
States. Furthermore, the regional roll-out of the Visa Information System could be an 
incentive to enhance representation by Member States and the setting up of common 
visa application centres in this region. 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  are  intensifying  their  activities  in  support  of  third 
countries  to  better  manage  migration.  The  EC  TAIEX  instrument  for  short-term 
expert assignments plays an important role in making available the experts required 
to  third  countries,  also  in  other  JLS  areas.  The  mandate  of  the  office  is  however 
currently  limited  to  the  candidate  countries  and  the  countries  covered  by  the  ENP. 
New forms of cooperation could be explored in the future. 

5. 

CONCLUSION  

The Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU are important as regards 
legal  and  illegal  migration  both  between  countries  in  the  region  and  to  the  EU. 
Dialogue  and  cooperation  on  migration  is  already  well  advanced  with  many  of  the 
countries in these regions, especially as regards the fight against illegal immigration. 
Applying  the  Global  Approach  to  these  regions  requires  that,  within  the  means 
available, cooperation is further developed, balanced and extended – notably in better 
addressing issues related to mobility and the development dimension of migration –
to  allow  the  EU  to  gain  credibility  in  the  eyes  of  its  partners  and  to  reach  the  next 
stage of cooperation with them.  

In a first stage, the Commission considers it essential that, using the frameworks in 
place  for  discussing  migration,  dialogue  and  agreements  on  mobility  issues  be 
enhanced in the EU's relations with ENP partner countries. In order to deliver on this 
policy  priority,  an  assessment  of  current  visa  procedures  should  be  conducted  and 
practical  measures  to  facilitate  mobility  for  key  categories  of  travellers  available 
under current visa regimes should be explored by the end of 2007. Given the shift in 
the  EU's  borders  following  enlargement,  promoting  regional  cooperation  with  and 
within  the  Black  Sea  region,  especially  in the  areas  of  border  control  and  the  fight 
against  illegal  immigration,  now  requires  specific  attention.  Cooperation  with  the 
Russian Federation should also continue and be intensified. In addition, dialogue and 
cooperation  with  countries  and  regions  of  origin  further  east  will  continue  to  be 
enhanced.  

EN 

15 

   EN 

 
A  key  objective  in  applying  the  Global  Approach  to  these  regions  is  the  need  to 
maintain policy coherence and to ensure complementarity with ongoing dialogue and 
cooperation  initiatives  on  migration  and  related  areas  already  taking  place  in  the 
overall  context  of  EU  external  relations  policy.  In  close  collaboration  and 
coordination with Member States and all other actors involved, the Commission will 
ensure  this  coherence  and  complementarity  and  appropriate  follow-up,  with  a 
timetable  where  possible,  for  the  coordination  of  the  Global  Approach  in  these 
regions. 

EN 

16 

   EN 

 
Annex I:  
Acronyms and glossary 

1. 

ACRONYMS 

ASEAN : Association of South-East Asian Nations 

ASEM : Asia-Europe Meeting 

BSBCIC : Black Sea Border Coordination and Information Centre 

BSEC : Black Sea Economic Cooperation 

BOMCA : Border Management in Central Asia 

ENP : European Neighbourhood Policy 

EUBAM : EU Border Assistance Mission 

ICAT : UN Inter-Agency Cooperation Group on Human Trafficking 

ICMPD : International Centre for Migration Policy Development  

ILO : Immigration Liaison Officer 

ILO : International Labour Organization 

IOM : International Organisation for Migration  

IPA : Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance 

MARRI : The Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative 

PCA : Partnership and Cooperation Agreement 

RABIT : Rapid Border Intervention Team 

SAA : Stabilisation and Association Agreement 

SECI : South-East European Cooperative Initiative 

SEECP : South-East Cooperation Process 

STM : Stabilisation and Association Process Tracking Mechanism 

TAIEX : Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument 

TF-OC : Task Force on Organised Crime in the Baltic Sea Region 

UNDP : United Nations Development Programme 

EN 

17 

   EN 

 
UNHCR : United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 

UNODC : United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 

UNTOC : UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime 

2. 

G LOSSARY 

the  European  Commission  and 

Asia-Europe  Meeting:  ASEM  is  an  informal  dialogue  process  initiated  in  1996.  The  EU 
Member  States, 
thirteen  Asian  countries  (Brunei, 
Burma/Myanmar,  China,  Cambodia,  Indonesia,  Japan,  South  Korea,  Malaysia,  Laos,  the 
Philippines,  Singapore,  Thailand,  and  Vietnam)  participate  in  the  process.  The  ASEM  6 
Summit held in September 2006 decided to admit India, Mongolia, Pakistan and the ASEAN 
Secretariat to the ASEM process, upon their completion of the necessary procedures. 

Bali  Process:  brings  participants  together  to  work  on  practical  measures  to  help  combat 
people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crimes in the Asia-Pacific 
region  and  beyond.  Initiated  at  the  "Regional  Ministerial  Conference  on  People  Smuggling, 
Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime" held in Bali in February 2002, the 
Bali  Process  follow-up  is  a  collaborative  effort  participated  in  by  over  fifty  countries  and 
numerous international agencies. 

Budapest  Process:  a  consultative  forum  of  more  than  fifty  Governments  from  the  wider 
European region and ten international organisations, which aims to promote good governance 
in  the  field  of  migration,  a  harmonised  approach  in  dealing  with  irregular  migration 
challenges and support for the transfer and common understanding of migration concepts and 
policies. 

Cooperation  platforms  on  migration  and  development:  A  concept  proposed  in  the  2006 
Communication on the Global Approach and endorsed by the  December European Council. 
The  idea  is  to  bring  together  migration  and  development  actors  in  a  country  or  region  to 
manage  migration  more  effectively,  in  the  interests  of  all,  along  specific  migratory  routes. 
Such  platforms  would  bring  together  representatives  of  the  country  or  countries  concerned 
with Member States, the Commission and international organisations. 

Global  Approach  to  Migration:  brings  together  migration,  external  relations  and 
development policy to address migration in an integrated, comprehensive and balanced way in 
partnership with third countries. It comprises the whole migration agenda, including legal and 
illegal  migration,  combating  trafficking  in  human  beings  and  smuggling  of  migrants, 
strengthening  protection  for  refugees,  enhancing  migrant  rights  and  harnessing  the  positive 
links  that  exist  between  migration  and  development.  It  is  underscored  by  the  fundamental 
principles  of  partnership,  solidarity  and  shared  responsibility  and  uses  the  concept  of 
'migratory routes' to develop and implement policy. 

MARRI:  an  initiative  forming  part  of  the  South-East  European  Cooperation  Process  which 
aims  to  enhance  regional  cooperation.  Participating  states  are  Albania,  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. 
Its regional centre is located in Skopje. 

EN 

18 

   EN 

 
Migration  portals:  web  portals  with  information  about  legal  migration  opportunities  and 
various other aspects of migration. The establishment of these web portals will be financially 
supported by the new budget line, 'Preparatory Action: Migration management – Solidarity in 
action'. 

Migration profiles: a tool to bring together and analyse all the relevant information needed to 
develop  policy  in  the  field  of  migration  and  development  and  to  monitor  the  impact  of 
policies implemented.  

Migration  routes  initiative:  work  along  the  main  migratory  routes  through  a  particular 
region  and  towards  the  EU  is  identified  and  takes  into  account  the  need  to  work  in  close 
collaboration with the third countries along these routes.  

Mobility partnerships: would provide the overall framework for managing various forms of 
legal movement between the EU and third countries. Such partnerships would be agreed with 
those  third  countries  committed  to  fighting  illegal  immigration  and  that  have  effective 
mechanisms  for  readmission.  Mobility  partnerships  are  in  the  process  of  being  developed  – 
see  the  Communication  on  Circular  migration  and  mobility  partnerships  between  the 
European Union and third countries, adopted simultaneously.  

Regional networks of ILOs: coordination mechanisms to bring together Immigration Liaison 
Officers so as to better coordinate and share information at the regional level. 

Söderköping Process: supported by the EC, its strategic objective is to facilitate cross-border 
cooperation between a number of EU Member States, Candidate countries and the countries 
of Eastern Europe on asylum, migration and border management issues. 

EN 

19 

   EN 

 
Annex II: 
Examples of EU cooperation with and assistance to countries covered by the 
Communication 

This Annex aims to provide an overview of the cooperation which has been established until 
now in the field of migration and asylum by the EU and the European and Asiatic countries 
which are located along the migratory routes on the Eastern and South-Eastern flanks of the 
EU. The list is indicative and by no means exhaustive. 

The  Annex  presents  the  projects  which  have  been  funded  by  the  European  Commission  in 
these countries in the field of asylum, migration, border management and visa policy.  

As regards the information included, it should be underlined that:  

a) 

b) 

c) 

only  those  projects  that  were  committed  through  programmes  of  the  previous  EU 
financial framework (2000-2006) are included in the list;  

projects  related  to  development  of  border  infrastructures  or  addressing  customs 
services  or  the  police  forces  generically  (not  specifically  the  border  police)  are  not 
included in the list; and 

projects  addressing  the  root  causes  of  migration  or  trafficking  in  human  beings  are 
not listed. 

The information presented should be used actively. Other donors can more easily see what the 
EC has been funding up to now, whereas we stimulate our implementing partners to take this 
information  available  on  past  projects  into  account  when  drafting  proposals  for  future 
activities. 

EN 

20 

   EN 

 
1. Countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU 

1.1 The Western Balkans and Turkey 

Regional 

Project Name 

Establishment  of  EU  compatible  legal,  regulatory  and  institutional 
frameworks  in  the  fields  of  asylum,  migration  and  visa  matters 
(CARDS/2003/077-352) 

Location 

Western Balkans 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2004 – February 2006 

Swedish Migration Board, together with ICMPD, IOM, UNHCR 

€ 3.000.000 / € 3.000.000  

Funding Programme  CARDS 

Responsible DG 

ELARG 

Description 

The  objectives  of  the  project  were  to  contribute  to  a  better  strategic  and 
technical understanding of EU standards and the best practices in the field of 
asylum,  migration  and  visa;  to  support  the  development  of  a  regional 
strategy, based upon benchmarks that translate a set of commonly accepted 
EU  technical  standards,  practices  and  principles;  to  contribute  in  the 
development  of  detailed  national  strategies  together  with  implementation 
action  plans;  to  contribute  to  institution  and  capacity  building.  The  project 
also promoted the creation of a regional network among the officials in the 5 
countries of the region. 

Project Name 

Support  to  and  coordination  of  Integrated  Border  Management 
Strategies in the Western Balkans (CARDS/2004/081-242) 

Location 

Western Balkans 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

January 2005 – April 2007 

France, Austria, OSCE, ICMPD 

EN 

21 

   EN 

 
 
Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 1.999.984 

Funding Programme  CARDS 

Responsible DG 

ELARG 

Description 

The project provided assistance to the countries for the development of their 
national Integrated Border Management strategies and Action Plans in order 
to ensure that these are coherent and effectively co-ordinated at the regional 
level.  The  project  has  contributed  to  this  process  by  raising  awareness  and 
understanding of the concepts and relevant EU standards and best practice, 
as  listed  in  the  IBM  Guidelines  for  Western  Balkans.  The  assistance  has 
supported  a  multidisciplinary  approach,  including  support  to  border  police, 
customs,  veterinary  and  phyto-sanitary  inspection  services,  as  well  as  to 
other services involved in border management issues. 

Project Name 

Fostering sustainable reintegration in Albania, the Kosovo province and 
former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia,  by  reinforcing  local  NGO 
capacity service provision to returnees (2002/HLWG/003) 

Location 

Albania, the Kosovo province and the FYR of Macedonia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

November 2003 – November 2005 

IOM 

€ 700.759,69 / € 560.607,76 

Funding Programme  B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

This  project  focused  on  new  mechanisms  and  the  development  of  existing 
ones  for  return  and  reintegration  through  support  to  local  NGOs  (service 
provision  and  counselling  capacities).  The  IOM  offices  in  Western  Europe 
defined a list of potential returnees and were able to develop a database. The 
project was then pursued in Albania, Kosovo and former Yugoslav Republic 
of  Macedonia,  by  workshops  for  local  NGOs.  Reintegration  services  could 
then be provided: for instance a reintegration package was defined. Another 
component  of  the  project  was  the  development  of  different  campaigns  to 
raise public awareness of the targeted areas. 

EN 

22 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
Project Name 

Network  of  immigration  liaison  officers  (ILO)  in  the  Western  Balkans 
(Albania and surrounding region) (2002/HLWG/013) 

Location 

Albania and surrounding region 

Implementation 
period 

November 2002 –December 2003 

Implementing 
Partner 

Commissariaat  General 
Belgium 

-  Beleid 

Internationale  Politiesamenverking, 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 729.500 / € 429.750 

Funding Programme  B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

This  project  implemented  by  the  Belgian  authorities  aimed  at  creating  an 
Immigration  Liaison  Officers’  network  (ILO)  in  the  Western  Balkans  in 
order to structure and consolidate exchange of information and possible co-
operation  between  the  ILOs  in  the  Western  Balkans  as  well  as  with  other 
important partners and local authorities. 

The added value of this project was the possible harmonisation of activities, 
the updated knowledge and the definition of policy guidelines in this field in 
the Western Balkans. 

Project Name 

Promoting  regular  migration 
in  the  Western  Balkans  through 
establishment of regional migrant service centres providing information 
and migration related services” (2003/HLWG/051) 

Location 

Western Balkans 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2004 – June 2006 

IOM 

€ 815.119,64 / € 652.095,71 

Funding Programme  B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

The  aim  was  to  promote  orderly  labour  migration  flows  and  related 
awareness-raising  through  the  creation  of  the  first  regional  network  of 
Migration  Services  Centres  (MSCs)  in  the  Western  Balkans.  The  project 
contributed  to  establish  and  run  6  MSCs  (Skopje,  Prishtina,  Belgrade, 
Zagreb,  Sarajevo,  and  Tirana,  the  last  one  having  been  created  before  the 

EN 

23 

   EN 

 
 
project  and  representing  a  model  for  the  others)  and  a  website,  through 
which not only would be migrants, but also people interested to return and 
reintegration, were provided counselling. 

Project Name 

Training  Action  for  the  Balkans:  Three  intensive  seminars  on  Asylum 
and International Protection for 120 civil servants (2005/103474) 

Location 

Western Balkans 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2005 – December 2007 

ERA- Académie de Droit Européen 

€ 641.643 / € 512.617 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Three seminars, one week each, will give a general overview of all the issues 
related to the migration and asylum, in particular: legal migration; dialogue 
on  migratory  flows;  readmission  and  reintegration  of  the  returnees;  illegal 
migration. 

Project Name 

Strong  Institutions  and  a  Unified  Approach  in  the  Asylum,  Migration 
and Visa Management in the Western Balkans (2006/120-144) 

Location 

Western Balkans 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – October 2008 

Migrationsverket 

€ 625.000 / € 500.000 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

A  better  management  of  all  aspects  of  migration  flows  in  the  region  by 
regulating  and  facilitating  legal  migration  and  curbing  illegal  migration  in 
the Western Balkan Countries. 

EN 

24 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Project Name 

Development  of  communication  and  information  exchange  systems  on 
illegal migration in the Western Balkan region (2006/120-275) 

Location 

Western Balkans 

Implementation 
period 

January 2007 – June 2008 

Implementing 
Partner 

Ministry  of  the  Interior  of  the  Republic  of  Hungary  -  Office  of  EU  Co-
ordination and ICMPD 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 625.000 / € 500.000 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Albania 

To  assist  the  five  SAp  countries  in  the  WB  region  in  their  efforts  to 
developing  a  system  for  exchanging  communication  and  information  on 
illegal  migration,  and  more  particularly  focussed  on  the  preparation  of  the 
WB countries to the use of ICONET system and to the participation in the 
CIREFI group. 

Project Name 

National Strategy on Migration (CARDS/2003/71910) 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

September 2003 – July 2005 

IOM 

€ 1.249.989 / € 1.000.000 

Funding Programme  CARDS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Tirana 

Description 

The  project  addressed  the  need  for  reform  in  the  field  of  migration 
management  in  Albania  through  the  development  of  a  national  strategy  on 
migration. 

EN 

25 

   EN 

 
 
Project Name 

'Establishment  of  EU  compatible  legal,  regulatory  and  institutional 
frameworks? '(CARDS) 

Location 

Albania 

Funding Programme  CARDS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Tirana 

Description 

CARDS  2002-3  promoted  the  establishment  of  EU  compatible  legal, 
regulatory  and  institutional  frameworks  in  the  fields  of  asylum,  migration 
and visa matters. 

Project Name 

Sustainable  return,  reintegration  and  development  in  Albania  through 
for  migration  management 
consolidated  preparatory 
(2001/HLWG/102) 

actions 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

April 2002 – December 2003 

IOM 

€ 835.885,00 / € 635.883 

Funding Programme  HLWG – B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

This project aimed to develop and strengthen regional capacities to manage 
irregular  migration  flows  into,  through  and  from  Albania.  This  has  been 
achieved  by  establishing  the  necessary  mechanisms  to  facilitate  the 
voluntary  return  and  sustainable  reintegration  of  175  victims  of  trafficking 
and illegal migrants stranded in Albania in their countries of origin such as 
Turkey,  Moldova  and  Ukraine.  The  project  was  instrumental  for  the 
establishment  of  a  National  Reception  Centre  (NRC).  It  served  as  a 
preparatory  measure  working  towards  the  long-term  development  of  a 
sustainable migration management system.  

Project Name 

Upgrading  the  border  control  system  of  Albania  along  European 
standards (2001/HLWG/124) 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

December 2001 – April 2003 

EN 

26 

   EN 

 
 
 
Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

ICMPD 

€ 551.649,43 / € 441.320 

Funding Programme  HLWG – B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

This project aimed to develop a blueprint for a border guarding system and a 
master  plan  for  its  realisation.  In  order  to  achieve  these  goals,  ICMPD 
worked  closely  with  the  Albanian  authorities  to  establish  an  International 
Border  Guarding  Task  Force.  The  project  also  elaborated  jointly  with  the 
Albanian authorities an action plan which was the basis for later funding by 
the  programme  CARDS,  thanks  to  the  blueprint  of  the  Albanian  border 
system provided. 

Project Name 

Developing  of  the  asylum  system  in  Albania  (2001/HLWG/127  and 
2004/81185) 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2002 – June 2006 

UNHCR 

€ 764.438, 87 / € 732.088 (B7-667) 

€2.000.000 / € 2.000.000 (2004/81185) 

Funding Programme  HLWG – B7-667 

CARDS 

Responsible DG 

JLS and EC DEL Tirana 

Description 

The  overall  objective  of  these  projects  was  to  set  up  a  functioning  and 
effective  mechanism  for  asylum  and  refugee  protection  in  Albania.  This 
projects  work  along  the  lines  of  a  three-stage  process:  pre-procedure 
(access),  procedure  (refugee  status  determination)  and  post-procedure 
(durable solutions). 

In term of access to the asylum system, fair and efficient procedures for the 
border  regime,  consistent  with  International  and  European  protection 
standards, are being developed and implemented.  

EN 

27 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Project Name 

Migrant Service Centres (CARDS) 

Location 

Implementing 
Partner 

Albania 

IOM 

Funding Programme  CARDS 2003 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Tirana 

Description 

Migrant  Service  Centers  were  established  providing  information  and 
migration  related  service  in  particular  to  improve  management  of  labour 
migration towards Italy. 

Project Name 

“Combating  irregular  migration  in  Albania  and  the  wider  region;  Targeted 
support to capacity building within the framework of readmission support to 
Albania” (2003/HLWG/055) 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2004 – June 2006 

IOM 

€ 882.345,45; EU grant: € 705.876,36 

Funding Programme  HLWG – B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

Relevant Albanian authorities received information on the EU best practices 
related  to  management  of  apprehended  illegal  migrants,  received  training 
(including on foreign languages), were adviced regarding the standards to be 
respected for the establishement of a reception center for illegal migrants in 
Albania, for the handling of the latter and for their repatriation to their home 
countries. 

Project Name 

Implementation of the readmission agreement (CARDS) 

Location 

 Albania 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 2.000.000 

Funding Programme  CARDS 2004 

Responsible DG 

ELARG 

EN 

28 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Building  a  Mechanism  to  effectively  and  sustainable 
implement 
readmission  agreements  between  Albania,  the  EC  and  third  countries 
(2005/103499) 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

December 2005 – April 2008 

Implementing 
Partner 

Ministry  of  Interior,  Public  Administration  and  Decentralisation  of  the 
Hellenic Republic; IOM 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 1.818.460 / € 1.454.768 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The  project  supported  Albania  to  identify  and  manage  the  return  of  third 
country  returned  illegal  migrants  and  to  help  reintegration  of  returned 
Albanians. 

Project Name 

W.A.R.M. (2005/103559) 

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – December 2008 

Comune di Roma 

€ 1.519.207 / € 1.215.196 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Reintegration of Albanian returnees through their insertion on labour market 
and through micro-enterprises creation. 

EN 

29 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Project Name 

ALBAMAR (2005/103632) 

Location 

Albania and Morocco 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2005 – December 2008 

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale 

€ 1.668.216 / € 1.334.572 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Definition  and  implementation  of  an  integrated  support  to  Moroccan  and 
Albanian  migrants  forcedly  or  voluntarily  repatriated  from  Italy  that  are 
highly exposed to the risks of illegal migration and criminal activities 

Project Name 

Former  et  créer  un  réseau  institutionnel  pour  l’identification,  l’accueil 
et l’intégration durable des personnes en retour  

Location 

Albania 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

Associazione Centro Europa Per La Scuola Educazione E Societa-Ceses 

€ 834.551 / € 652.443 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Soutenir  les  institutions  albanaises  dans  le  processus  de  création  d’un 
système efficace de gestion des flux des personnes en retour visé à la mise 
en œuvre de l’accord de réadmission avec la CE et à l'élimination des causes 
de l'émigration illégal. 

EN 

30 

   EN 

 
 
 
Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Project Name 

Support 
2005/115633) 

to  Migration  Management  Capacities 

(2003/72875  and 

Location 

 Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

 November 2003 – January 2008 

 IOM 

€ 870.000 / € 870.000 (2003/72875) 

€ 1.200.000 / € 1.200.000(2005/115633) 

Funding Programme  CARDS 2003 and 2005 

Responsible DG  

DEL Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Description 

These projects aim at ensuring that the Sector for Immigration and Asylum, 
established  within  the  Ministry  of  Security  have  administrative  and 
procedural  capacity  that  will  allow  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  to  effectively 
manage  population  movements,  and  develop  a  migration  policy  for  Bosnia 
and  Herzegovina  that  will  be  coordinated  by  the  Ministry  of  Security  and 
regularly  reviewed;  to  ensure  that  management  structures  necessary  for  the 
effective  implementation  of  migration  policies  and  legislation,  in  line  with 
the  EU  standards  and  practices  are  developed;  to  strengthen  the  legislative 
basis for the management of migration processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
by  developing  new  legislation  and  by-laws  and  consolidating  existing 
legislation and procedures in line with EU standards and practices and other 
international  norms;  to  establish  a  Migration  Information  System  that  will 
allow the Ministry of Security to collect and analyze information about non-
citizens that will be used to develop migration policy, visa requirements and 
improve legislation and procedures. 

Project Name 

Support 
2005/109048) 

to  Asylum  Management  Capacities 

(2003/072-091  and 

Location 

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

October 2003 – June 2007 

UNHCR 

€ 1.000.000 / € 1.000.000 (2003/072-091) 

€ 800.000 / € 800.000 (2005/109048) 

EN 

31 

   EN 

 
 
Funding Programme  CARDS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Sarajevo 

Description 

These  projects  have  the  following  key  objective:  to  establish  a  clearly 
identified  and  independent  authority,  as  a  competent  “asylum  unit”  within 
the  competent  ministry,  with  responsibility  for  examining  requests  for 
refugee status and taking decisions on refugee status in the first instance. 

Project Name 

Strengthening the protection of asylum seekers (2005/103661) 

Location 

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – December 2007 

VASA PRAVA – Bosnia and Herzegovina 

€ 856.932,56 / € 616.562,98 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Ensuring  a  maximum  protection  and  access  to  justice  for  asylum  seekers, 
recognized  refugees  and  other  categories  of  persons  under  international 
protection  in  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  and  victims  of  human  trafficking, 
ensuring the full access to their rights via the provision of free legal aid and 
information campaigns. 

Project Name 

Support to EU support for the implementation of the Integrated Border 
Management Strategy for Bosnia and Hezegovina (2006/120289) 

Location 

Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

May 2006 – April 2008 

IOM 

€ 1.018.016 / € 1.000.000 

Funding Programme  CARDS 

Responsible DG  

DEL Bosnia and Herzegovina 

EN 

32 

   EN 

 
 
 
Description 

Croatia 

Project Name 

EU  support  to  the  Indirect  Taxation  Agency  (ITA),  State  Border  Service, 
Veterinary  and  phyto-sanitary  and  market  inspectorates  by  providing 
training, study tours and workshops, revision of legislation, and setting up a 
joint analysis centre. 

Protection  of  Asylum  seekers  in  the  Republic  of  Croatia  and  Regio 
(2005/103578) 

Location 

Croatia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – December 2008 

Croatian Law Centre 

€ 1.274.842,27 / € 1.000.000 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Strengthening  the  protection  in  CRO  and  region  (Bosnia  and  Herzegovina, 
Serbia,  Montenegro)  by  developing  asylum  system  consistent  with 
international standards. 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

Project Name 

Enhancement of the asylum management system (2003/01/08) 

Location 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

April 2006 – December 2006 

Transtec (BE) 

€ 160.000 / € 160.000 

Funding Programme  CARDS 2003 

Responsible DG 

ELARG 

Description 

The  programme  provides  short-term  technical  assistance  in  the  field  of 
asylum regarding the definition of operational procedures on asylum and the 
design  of  an  IT  platform  for  the  relevant  line  ministries.  The  aim  of  the 
project is to enhance the asylum management system in the country. 

EN 

33 

   EN 

 
 
Project Name 

Construction of reception centre for asylum seekers (2002/01/14) 

Location 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

February 2005 – December 2006 

GD Granit AD Skopje (MK) 

€ 1.850.000 / € 1.850.000 

Funding Programme  CARDS 2002 

Responsible  DG  or 
EC Delegation 

ELARG 

Description 

The  project  aims  to  construct  a  reception  centre  for  asylum  seekers.  The 
centre  will  be  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Skopje  and  will  have  an 
administrative building for registration and administration of asylum seekers 
and several buildings for hosting asylum seekers. It will be able to host up to 
150 persons, but the design includes possible future extension for up to 300 
people. 

Project Name 

Development of immigration and asylum strategy, legislation and action 
plan (2002/01/14; 2003/01/08) 

Location 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

February 2004 – December 2005 

Charles Kendall & Partners Ltd (UK); B&S Europe (BE) 

€ 160.000 / € 160.000 – CARDS 2002; € 1.000.000 / € 1.000.000 – CARDS 
2003 

Funding Programme  CARDS 2002 - 2003 

Responsible  DG  or 
EC Delegation 

ELARG 

Description 

The  programme  provided  technical  assistance  and  training  to  develop  and 
implement  the  National  Action  Plan  for  Migration  and  Asylum.  The  TA 
team  also  provided  amendments  to  primary  and  secondary  legislation 
pertaining to the new Law on Asylum as well as assisted in the development 
of  the  new  Law  on  the  Movement  and  Residence  of  Foreigners.  In  the 
framework of the programme, a new project proposal has been launched that 
will  look  into  the  enhancement  of  the  asylum  management  system  in  the 
country. 

EN 

34 

   EN 

 
 
Serbia11 

Project Name 

Building  an  Asylum 
(2003/HLWG/046) 

structure 

in  Serbia  and  Montenegro 

Location 

Serbia and Montenegro 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

October 2004 – October 2006 

UNHCR 

€ 762.936,02 / € 530.890,77 

Funding Programme  B7-667 - HLWG 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

This UNHCR project was designed to assist the authorities in setting up an 
asylum structure. This implies defining competencies and responsibilities on 
asylum within the current constitutional framework; Adopting an asylum law 
at the state level; Putting a functioning body in charge of asylum seekers and 
refugees;  Setting  up  a  fair  RSD  (Refugee  Determination  Status)  process; 
Establishing reception centres. 

The  project  target  is  to  set  up  the  initial  phases  of  a  functioning  protection 
mechanism;  a  first  step,  which  targets  the  achievement  of  the  adoption  of 
Refugee  legislation  and  the  establishment  of  reception  centres.  In  March 
2005, the asylum law of the SGC at the state level was adopted, but remains 
incomplete,  despite  active  lobbying  during  the  formulation  of  the  law. 
Negotiations on defining the best location for the reception centres in Serbia 
and in Montenegro are ongoing. The target is to have a centre in Serbia with 
a  capacity  of  accommodating  200  people  and  of  110  people  minimum  in 
Montenegro. 

Project Name 

Building an Asylum structure in Serbia and Montenegro (2005/103439) 

Location 

Serbia and Montenegro 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

January 2006 – December 2007 

UNHCR 

Budget/EC 

€ 872.507,41 / € 698.005,92 

11 

Projects  which  started  before  the  separation  of  Serbia  and  Montenegro  and  which  now  cover  both 
countries can be found under Serbia. 

EN 

35 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
contribution 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Continuation of assistance to Serbia and Montenegro to develop their asylum 
structures. 

Project Name 

Employed, Empowered – Serbia (2006/120-073) 

Location 

Serbia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

November 2006 – November 2008 

Stichting Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe 

€ 699.834 / € 559.867 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The specific objective of the project is to support the durable reintegration of 
refugees, IDPs and returnees into society by researching solutions enabling 
them to build up sustainable livelihoods for themselves. 

Project Name 

Support to the process of readmission through sustainable reintegration 
of returnees from Western Europe to Serbia and Montenegro (2006/120-
168) 

Location 

Serbia and Montenegro 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – June 2008 

Kentro Anaptyxis kai Ekpaidefsis Evropaiki Prooptiki 

€ 1.750.404,66 / €1.339.059,56 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Overall  objective  of  the  action  is  support  to  the  process  of  readmission 
through sustainable reintegration of returnees from Western Europe to Serbia 

EN 

36 

   EN 

 
 
 
and Montenegro. 

Turkey 

Project Name 

Support  to  the  Turkish  Immigration  authorities  in  the  area  of  asylum 
(2001/HLWG/115) 

Location 

Turkey  

Implementation 
period 

June 2002- November 2004 

Implementing 
Partner 

Bundesamt  für  die  Anerkennung  ausländischer  Flüchtlinge  (BAFL), 
Germany. 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 577.800, 50 / € 457.628,00 

Funding Programme  B7-667 – HLWG 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

The  aim  of  this  project  implemented  by  the  German  Bundesamt  für  die 
Anerkennung ausländischer Flüchtlinge (BAFL) was to promote partnership 
with Turkey on migration policy in order to contribute to a better control and 
prevention  of  migration  flows  and  to  help  to  combat  illegal  migration  by 
establishing an effective asylum system. It helped to develop an efficient and 
balanced migration administration in all fields, in particular the development 
and  establishment  of  an  asylum  system,  corresponding  to  the  EU  acquis. 
This  project  has  also  contributed  to  a  certain  extent  to  the  progress  in  the 
planning of the new national asylum system and implementation of the EU 
acquis. 

Project Name 

Development  of  the  asylum  system  in  Turkey  (2001/HLWG/126  and 
2002/HLWG/031) 

Location 

Turkey  

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

April 2002 – May 2005 

UNHCR 

€ 969.417.47; € 775.533.98 (2001/HLWG/126) 

€ 900.420,73 / € 596.800,00 (2002/HLWG/031) 

Funding Programme  B7-667 – HLWG 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

EN 

37 

   EN 

 
 
 
Description 

The project initially focused on reinforcing the UNHCR branch to carry out 
the  Refugee  Status  Determination  (RSD)  and  building  an  information 
system.  It  also  commissioned  studies  on  the  best  practice  of  countries  that 
could be a model for Turkey, organised training of officials and strengthened 
the  temporary  procedure.  It  enabled  the  reduction  of  the  back-log  in  the 
management  of  asylum  files  and  enhanced  co-operation  between  EU  MS 
officials and Turkish officials.  

The second project covered needs for infrastructure, training and information 
and  aimed  at  to  strengthening  the  asylum  procedure,  train  government 
officials  and  disseminate  best  practices.  It  also  looked  for  a  deeper 
involvement of the civil society. 

Project Name 

Refugee Support Program – Turkey (2006/120-126) 

Location 

Turkey  

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2009 

Helsinki Yurttaslar Dernegi 

€ 732.340,36 / € 585.854,11 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The  Refugee  Support  Program”  of  Helsinki  Citizens’  Assembly  aims  to 
develop legislation and national practices as regards international protection 
and  asylum  in  Turkey,  ensuring  observance  of  the  principle  of  "non 
refoulement" and to improve Turkey's capacity to cope with asylum seekers 
and  refugees.  Within  this  broader  objective,  the  specific  objective  of  the 
action  is  to  improve  asylum  seekers'  and  refugees'  access  to  international 
protection by improving their reception and detention conditions in Turkey 
through  the  provision  of  comprehensive  legal  and  psychological  services; 
public legal education and refugee empowerment; capacity building for civil 
society organizations, professionals and government agencies; and lobbying 
for progressive change in law and policy reflecting refugee rights under EC 
and international law. 

Project Name 

Pilot  Refugee  Application  Centre  (PRAC)  and  Screening  Unit  (SU) 
(2006/120281) 

Location 

Turkey  

Implementation 
period 

January 2007 – June 2009 

EN 

38 

   EN 

 
 
 
Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

Immigration and Naturalisation Service the Netherlands 

€ 1.753.806 / € 997.915,61 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Implementation of the National Action Plan on asylum and migration. 

Specific objective: The setting up of a Pilot Refugee Application Centre in 
Konya including a Screening Unit in Van. 

EN 

39 

   EN 

 
 
1.2  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  partner  countries  in  Eastern  Europe  and  the  Southern 
Caucasus 

Regional Eastern Europe 

Project Name 

Dialogue  and  Technical  capacity  building  in  migration  management: 
Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan (2002/ HLWG/004) 

Location 

Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

March 2003 – September 2005 

IOM 

€ 1.488.765,15 / € 1.210.654 

Funding Programme  B7-667 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The project aimed at fostering the dialogue between the Russian Federation 
and the Central Asiatic Republics, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the field of 
border  and  migration  management.  Meetings  between  officers  of  the 
involved  countries,  and  a  study  tour,  aimed  at  facilitating  coordination,  at 
sharing information and disseminating best practices were organised. Some 
focus  was  also  placed  on  improving  the  management  of  some  segments  of 
the  Russian-Kazakh  border,  where  some  equipment  was  delivered  and  a 
study tour was organised. The project also assisted the voluntary repatriation 
of some migrants. 

Project Name 

Re-direction  of  the  Budapest  process  activities  to  the  CIS  region 
(2003/HLWG/064 ) 

Location 

Armenia,  Azerbaijan,  Belarus,  Georgia,  Kazakhstan,  Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, 
the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

March 2004 – July 2005 

ICMPD 

€ 760.383,60 / € 587.183,96 

Funding Programme  B7-667 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

EN 

40 

   EN 

 
 
Description 

This project's aim was to collect in a comprehensive and comparable manner 
information  and  analysis  of  irregular  flows  of  migration  within,  from  and 
through  the  CIS  region.  The  project  sought  also  to  establish  a  network  of 
senior officials dealing with irregular migration, in order to pave the way for 
a structured dialogue in the CIS region. The CIS countries are now brought 
into the framework of the Budapest process and are more aware of migration 
policies  in  the  EU,  by  attending  conferences  with  officials  from  other  CIS 
countries, 
the  European  Commission  and 
international organisations. 

the  EU  Member  States, 

Project Name 

Towards sustainable partnerships for the effective governance of labour 
migration  in  the  Russian  Federation,  the  Caucasus  and  Central  Asia 
(2006/120-072) 

Location 

Russian Federation, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2006 – December 2009 

ILO - International Labour Organization 

€ 2.433.508 / € 1.945.105 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The project focuses on key labour migration issues that are rising quickly on 
political  agendas  there  and  are  essential  components  for  stability  and 
sustainable  and  equitable  economic  growth.  There  are  five  specific 
objectives:  (1)  To  develop  practical  methods  for  assessing  and  forecasting 
labour market requirements with a view to improving migration governance; 
(2) to promote decent work and enhance the protection of migrant workers’ 
rights; (3) to develop a system of earned regularisation and introduce sound 
regularisation  policies  and  procedures;  (4)  to  contribute  to  the  productive 
utilization  of  the  region’s  human  resources  by  developing  systems  for  the 
to 
portability  of  qualifications  and  reducing  bureaucratic  obstacles 
recruitment; and (5) to develop policies that enhance the positive impact of 
migration on development in origin countries. 

Project Name 

The  East-Central  European  Cross  Border  Co-operation  Enhancement 
process (The Söderköping Process) (2003/HLWG/009 and 2005/103489) 

Location 

Belarus , Moldova, Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

May 2004 – December 2008 

EN 

41 

   EN 

 
 
 
Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

Swedish Migration Board, UNHCR, IOM 

€ 997.500 / € 762.488,00 (2003/HLWG/009) 

€ 1.634.873,16 / € 1.307.898,40 (2005/103489) 

Funding Programme  B7-667 – HLWG and AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

JLS and EuropeAid 

Description 

This  process  provides  training  and  a  forum  for  comparing  national 
experiences  and  disseminating  best  practices  and  for  peer  pressure  mainly, 
but not exclusively, on asylum management, between WNIS countries, some 
EU MSs (with the Swedish Migration Board in a leading role), the UNHCR 
and the IOM. A Secretariat is now based in Kyiv. 

Project Name 

The  protection  of  refugees  asylum  seekers  and  forced  migrants 
(2005/103619) 

Location 

Belarus , Moldova, Ukraine, Russia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2005 – December 2008 

European Council on Refugees and Exiles - ECRE 

€ 705.331 / € 529.705 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Improve  the  implementation  in  Belarus,  Moldova,  Ukraine  and  Russia  of 
national and international refugee and human rights instruments – leading to 
increased security and protection for refugees. 

Project Name 

Elimination  of  human  trafficking  from  Moldova  and  Ukraine  through 
labour market based measures (2006/120-079) 

Location 

Moldova and Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

November 2006 – October 2008 

ILO and ICMPD 

EN 

42 

   EN 

 
 
 
Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 935.615,97 / € 748.492,78 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The  project  offers  a  long-term  perspective  against  trafficking  in  human 
beings  in  Moldova  and  Ukraine  by  addressing  gaps  in  the  current 
implementation of National Action Plans against Human Trafficking (NAP). 
Designed  to  strengthen  national  capacity  in  implementing  NAP,  this 
proposal  aims  in  particular  to  involve  labour  market  actors  in  prevention, 
reintegration  and  prosecution  activities.  The  purpose  is  not  only  to  support 
the  prosecution  and  assistance  to  victims  but  also  in  particular  to  increase 
transparency,  fairness  and  efficiency  in  the  labour  market  as  concerns  job 
placements. 

Project Name 

Combating  Trafficking  in  Human  Beings  in  Ukraine  and  Moldova 
(2006/120-250) 

Location 

Moldova and Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

IOM 

€ 2.160.346,02 / € 1.728.276,82 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

IOM  will  run  6  shelters  for  victims,  promote  information  campaigns  with 
focus on schools, carry out training for law enforcement agencies, including 
judges, and facilitate their cooperation with NGOs. 

Belarus 

Project Name 

Combating  Trafficking  in  Human  Beings  in  the  Republic  of  Belarus 
(2002/29979) 

Location 

Belarus 

Implementation 
period 

September 2002 – November 2005 

EN 

43 

   EN 

 
 
 
Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

UNDP 

€ 900.000 / € 900.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The  project  contributed  to  the  fight  against  trafficking  in  human  beings  in 
Belarus. 

Project Name 

Enhancing Border Management in Belarus - BOMBEL 1 (2005/100-530) 
& BOMBEL 2 (2006/104-281) 

Location 

Belarus 

Implementation 
period 

March 2005 – December 2006 

September 2006 – December 2007 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

UNDP 

€ 4.721.000 / € 4.500.000 (BOMBEL 1) 

€ 9.066.000 / € 8.800.000 (BOMBEL 2) 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

Through  the  projects  the  EC  funds a  number  of  study  visits  and  trainings 
and  seminars  which  are  organised  with  the  involvement  of  EU  MSs 
experts. Two  European  standard  accommodation  centres for 
irregular 
migrants (in Brest and in Pinsk) and a separate one for asylum seekers in the 
city of Pinsk have been / will be established, a dog training centre has been 
upgraded and equipped with modern technology, and various border control 
and  surveillance  equipment  has  been  supplied.  Furthermore  the  BOMBEL 
projects  aim  at  modernising  the  equipment  used  by  border  troops  in 
compliance with the EU standards, through the provision of computer-aided 
equipment  and  technology,  motor-cars  and  lorries;  engineering,  technical, 
communication,  radiation-measuring  and  other  pieces  of  equipment; 
communication  instrument,  with  the  aim  in  particular  of  increasing  the 
mobility  of  border  troops  along  the  green  border  and  their  capacity  of 
surveillance on trains and at the border posts.  

EN 

44 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Strengthening  Migration  Management 
(2006/104300) 

in  Belarus  -  MIGRABEL 

Location 

Belarus 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

June 2006 – May 2008 

IOM 

€ 775.000 / € 700.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

Through  this  project  the  EC  is  contributing  to  establishing  a  travel 
document  issuing  and  control  system  which  will  meet  latest  international 
standards  and  comply  with  biometric  requirements.  Moreover,  a  national 
database will be developed and will be able to store and process biometric 
data.  Beneficiaries  are  the  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs,  the  Ministry  of 
Foreign Affairs and the State Border Guard Committee. 

Project Name 

Strengthening Protection Capacity in Belarus (2006/120221) 

Location 

Belarus 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2006 – December 2008 

UNHCR 

€ 719.628,50 / € 575.702,80 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The  overall  objective  of  the  action  is  to  facilitate  the  development  of  the 
asylum system in Belarus. 

The specific objective is to develop an  effective referral system in order to 
ensure the respect of the principle of non-refoulement. 

Additionally,  under  CBC  2006  Budget,  Belarus  is  supposed  to  receive  an  additional  €14  million 
assistance aimed at improving border controls through provision of equipment for border surveillance 
and the establishment of fibre optic cable networks to central authorities and between selected border 

EN 

45 

   EN 

 
 
 
crossing  points.  This  latter  component  will  facilitate  smooth  border  and  customs  clearance  thus 
reducing waiting hours at border crossing points and at the same time ensuring and improving security 
controls  through  modern  data  networks  and/or  control  equipment.  Furthermore  technical  assistance 
will also be offered, possibly through a twinning. 

Moldova 

Project Name 

Combating trafficking in women (2002/30263) 

Location 

Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

September 2002 – June 2004 

IOM 

€ 600.000 / € 600.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

This  project  aimed  at  providing  law  enforcement  agencies  with  technical 
support and training as well as promoting cross-border cooperation, raising 
awareness  among  potential  victims  about  the  risks  of  being  trafficked, 
assisting the actual victims by facilitating repatriation, offering medical and 
psychological cares and hospitality in a shelter. 

Project Name 

Capacity  building  and  technical  cooperation  for  Moldovan  border 
officials (TACIS/2003/077575) 

Location 

Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2003 – November 2005 

IOM 

€ 1.100.000 / € 900.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

This project aimed at providing training, technical assistance, and supply of 
equipment  to  border  guards  and  other  border  officials  in  Moldova,  with  a 

EN 

46 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
particular  view  to  enhance  capacity of  the  Ungheni  Border  Guard  Training 
Centre by providing physical facilities and equipment as well as by assisting 
in curricula development. 

Project Name 

IOM  Rehabilitation  Centre  for  Victims  of  Trafficking  (Chisinau, 
Moldova):  Recovery,  Rehabilitation  and  Reintegration 
through 
Comprehensive Care (TACIS/2004/72590) 

Location 

Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2004 – February 2006 

IOM 

€ 308.000 / €308.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The  project  set  up  a  Rehabilitation  Centre  for  Victims  of  Trafficking 
(Chisinau,  Moldova),  focussed  on 
the  recovery,  rehabilitation  and 
reintegration of the victims through comprehensive Care. 

Project Name 

Enhancing  border  control  management  in  the  republic  of  Moldova 
(TACIS/2004/027521) 

Location 

Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2004 – December 2005 

UNDP 

€ 1.850.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The  project  aimed  at  strengthening  border  control  capacities  at  selected 
Moldovan  border  crossing  points  through  the  supply  of  equipment  and 
training.  

EN 

47 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Project Name 

Strengthening  Migration  Management  in  Moldova  -  MIGRAMOL 
(2006/104300) 

Location 

Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

June 2006 – May 2008 

IOM 

€ 775.000 / € 700.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The aim of this project is to improve migration management capacity with a 
particular  focus  on  the  treatment  of  irregular  migrants.  The  core  activity 
under the project is to ensure international standards in the accommodation 
of irregular migrants with the refurbishment of an accommodation facility, to 
develop  a  health  care  system  (including  the  creation  of  a  health  post),  in 
order to provide medical assistance to irregular migrants held, to train staff 
and develop norms and guidelines for the management of an accommodation 
facility  in  accordance  with  the  best  international  standards  and  most 
particularly  with  the  standards  set  by  the  Council  of  Europe,  the  European 
Court of Human Rights and the Committee for Prevention of the Torture.  

Project Name 

Improvement  of  Border  Controls  at  the  Moldovan-Ukrainian  State 
Border - BOMMOLUK 1 (2006/125442) 

Location 

Moldova and Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

September 2006 – December 2007 

UNDP 

€ 3.250.000 / € 3.000.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The  objective  of  this  project  is  to  build  up  appropriate  and  institutional 
capacity  in  Moldova  and  Ukraine  to  ensure  effective  border  and  customs 
controls  and  border  surveillance  with  particular  attention  to  the  Moldovan-
Ukrainian state border. 

EN 

48 

   EN 

 
 
Project Name 

EU  Border  Assistance  Mission  to  Ukraine  and  Moldova  -  EUBAM 
(RRM and TACIS) 

Location 

Ukraine and Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

November 2005 – December 2008 

UNDP 

RRM: € 4.000.000 

TACIS: € 24.200.000 (not all yet contracted) 

Funding Programme  RRM and TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The  objective  of  this  project  is  to  contribute  to  the  enhancement  of  the 
overall border and customs management capacities of Moldova and Ukraine 
border officials and to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Transniestria 
conflict.  The  deployment  of  the  EUBAM  mission  along  the  Moldovan-
Ukrainian  border  as  well  as  along  the  Moldovan  internal/administrative 
boundary  was  initiated  with  particular  attention  to  the  Transnistrian 
border sector,  which  the  Moldovan  authorities  can  not  effectively  manage. 
17  EU  Member  States  provide  significant  financial  contribution to 
EUBAM's  activities  through  the  secondment  of  border  police  and  customs 
personnel  whose  salaries  are  being  paid  by  the  EU  Member  States' 
administration. 

Project Name 

Beyond  Poverty  Alleviation:  Developing  a  Legal,  Regulatory  and 
Institutional  Framework  for  Leveraging  Migrant  Remittances  for 
Entrepreneurial Growth in Moldova (2006/120234) 

Location 

Moldova 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

IOM – International Organisation for Migration 

€ 997.700 / € 794.665,38 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

EN 

49 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Description 

This  project  aims  at  maximising  the  positive  effects  of  migration  on 
development, by promoting the cheaper transfer and providing advice for the 
most  rentable  use  of  migrants  remittances  in  view  of  pro-development 
projects.  

Additionally,  under  CBC  2006  Budget  Moldova  is  supposed  to  receive  an  additional  €12  million 
assistance aimed at improving border controls through provision of equipment for border surveillance 
and the establishment of fibre optic cable networks to central authorities and between selected border 
crossing  points.  This  latter  component  will  facilitate  smooth  border  and  customs  clearance  thus 
reducing waiting hours at border crossing points and at the same time ensuring and improving security 
controls  through  modern  data  networks  and/or  control  equipment.  Furthermore  technical  assistance 
will also be offered, possibly through a twinning.  

A  TACIS  RAP  2005  allocation  of  €6.6  million  will  enable  to  complete  the  demarcation  of  the 
Ukrainian- Moldovan border (the project will concentrate on the Southern border in front of the Black 
sea and on the Transnestrian sector, as the remaining parts were already ensured by the Ukrainian and 
Moldovan State Funds) and to set joint border posts.  

Ukraine 

Project Name 

Fight against trafficking in human beings-Ukraine (2003/69572) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2003- June 2006 

IOM 

€ 1.892.000 / € 1.892.000  

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The project covered three areas in this regard: 

1)  prevention  of  trafficking  through  dissemination  of  information  and 
increase of public awareness; 

2) prosecution and criminalisation of trafficking and building up capacity of 
Ukrainian law enforcement and judicial authorities; 

3)  protection  and  reintegration  of  victims  through  assisting  victims  with 
legal, medical and psychological help, shelter and micro-grants as an income 
generating basis. 

EN 

50 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Reinforcing  the  State  Border  Guard  Service  of  Ukraine's  Human 
Resources Management System (TACIS/2005/115-592) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2005 – December 2007 

International Organization for Migration 

€ 4.341.000 / € 4.000.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG 

DEL Ukraine 

Description 

Support  to  the  State  Border  Guard  Service's  strategy  towards  an  EU-type 
border  police  /  law  enforcement  agency  aimed  at  reforming  the  human 
resources  management  system  (legislation,  staff  recruitment,  staff  training, 
career  development).By  the  involvement  of  Hungarian  and  Polish  border 
guards,  it  aims  at  improving  human  resources  management,  starting  from 
recruitment,  the  development  of  training  strategies,  plans  and  curricula  in 
line with EU standards and requirements, and being completed with a career 
development  programme  for  border  guard  personnel.  The  programme  will 
support  the  transition  of  a  military-type  structured  entity  towards  a 
European-type law enforcement entity. 

Project Name 

“Establishment  of  migration  management  in  Zakarpattya  in  Ukraine” 
(2003/HLWG/039) and “Enhancing Capacities in the Area of Protection 
and  Treatment  of  Refugees  and  Asylum  Seekers  in  Zakarpattya 
/Western Ukraine” (2006/120-173) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

June 2004 – June 2008 

Osterreichische Caritaszentrale 

€ 1.627.823,77 / € 1.302.259,02 (2003/HLWG/039) 

€ 874.928,04/ € 699.942,43 (2006/120-173) 

Funding Programme  HLWG B7-667 

AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

JLS and EuropeAid 

EN 

51 

   EN 

 
 
Description 

The  projects  have  a  humanitarian  component,  improving  the  living 
conditions of apprehended migrants in Zakarpattya. In addition, the activities 
contribute to the improvement of counselling, protection and registration of 
refugees  while  being  detained  and  during  all  phases  of  their  asylum 
procedure  as  well  as  to  the  improvement  of  cooperation  and  exchange  of 
migration authorities and NGOs specialised in the field. 

Project Name 

Monitor  and  promote  the  respect  of  human  rights  and  fundamental 
freedoms of refugees and migrants 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection 

€ 78.000 

Responsible DG/Del 

EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) 

Description 

This project is implemented with the aim to monitor and promote the respect 
of  human  rights  and  fundamental  freedoms  of  refugees  and  migrants  with 
focus on the regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Zakarpattya and Lviv. 

Project Name 

Assistance  to  the  Legal  and  Administrative  Reforms  in  Ukraine  in  the 
Sphere of Migration and Refugees’ Protection According to the Norms 
and Standards of the European Union (2004/87047 ) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

July 2006 – March 2007 

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute 

€ 500.000 / € 500.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG 

EC DEL Kiev 

Description 

The  project's  objective  is  to  increase  the  competence  of  the  staff  of 
Ukrainian  institutions  in  asylum  and  asylum  related  matters  and  the  inter-
institutional cooperation of the institutions involved by establishing internal 
working relations. 

EN 

52 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
Project Name 

in  Ukraine  by 
Strengthening  Asylum  and  Protection  Capacity 
Enhancing 
the  Capacity  of  Governmental  and  Civil  Society 
Stakeholders  in  a  Participatory  Approach  and  Cross-sector  Co-
operation (2006/120-176) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

Dansk Flygtningehjaelp 

€ 534397,23 / € 427517,78 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

To ensure that the Ukrainian asylum and refugee system is able to function 
in a transparent manner and in accordance with principles based on human 
rights  and  rule  of  law  and  in  a  participatory  approach  with  civil  society 
capacities. 

Project Name 

Strengthening capacities and cooperation in the identification of forged 
and falsified documents in Ukraine (2006/120-195) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

ICMPD 

€ 783.161,25 / € 626.400,6 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

To  contribute  to  an  increased  effectiveness  in  the  fight  against  illegal 
migration by the Ukrainian authorities. 

EN 

53 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Capacity  building  of  Migration  management:  Ukraine  Phase  I  and 
Phase II (2004/096-462 and 2006/124-449) 

Location 

Ukraine 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

March 2005 – December 2007 

IOM 

€ 4.204.672 / €3.781.505 (2004/096-462) 

€ 3.074.474 / € 2.767.000 (2006/124-449) 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG 

DEL Ukraine 

Description 

The activities aim at enhancing the capacity of the Government of Ukraine 
(GoU)  to  manage  the  migration  flows  and  control  the  illegal  movement  of 
migrants to and through the territory of Ukraine. The projects seeks to do so 
by  carrying  out  various  interlinked  actions,  i.e.  an  assessment  of  migration 
situation,  the  development  of  best  practices,  based  upon  international 
standards and conventions, the refurbishment of accommodation centres for 
detained migrants and the piloting of a voluntary return programme, and to 
support the GoU’s efforts to comply with and ensure European best practices 
and  humanitarian  standards  set  by  the  Council  of  Europe,  the  European 
Court of Human Rights, and the CPT as well as the harmonisation with the 
EU acquis communautaire. 

Several projects were funded by TACIS (from RAP 2000 until NAP 2005) in view of providing the 
border  guards  of  Ukraine  with  better  equipment  to  control  the  green  border  and  the  land  border 
crossing points (walky-talkies, radios for long distance communication including data transmission, 4 
wheels cars, night-visors, metal detectors, passport readers, computers, software for data registration 
etc.) along the entire Northern and Eastern border with Belarus and Russia, and the South-West 
border with Moldova for an overall amount of approximately €20 million.  

Under  the  TACIS  NAP  2006,  an  allocation  of  €5  million  (within  a  larger  project  addressing  also 
Customs  Service)  is  available  to  promote  further  improvement  of  the  quality  of  Border  Guards 
capacity of surveillance and alignment to the EU/Schengen standards. Both through this allocation and 
an  additional  €4  million  which  is  available  under  the  CBC  programme  (2006  budget)  it  will  be 
possible to procure additional border equipment.  

Regional Southern Caucasus 

Project Name 

An integrated approach to promoting legal migration through national 
capacity building (2005/103475) 

Location 

South Caucasus 

EN 

54 

   EN 

 
 
Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – December 2007 

IOM  

€ 971.747 / € 777.397 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The  project  contributed  to  the  creation  in  the  three  countries  of  Migration 
Resource Centers, where information about potential and actual migrants are 
collected  for  the  benefit  of  employers  and  students,  and  potential  migrants 
can find information about the rules of legal migration and the risks of illegal 
migration. MRCs were established in 2006 in Yerevan (Armenia), Baku and 
Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Gurjaani (Georgia). 

Project Name 

Towards sustainable partnerships for the effective governance of labour 
migration  in  the  Russian  Federation,  the  Caucasus  and  Central  Asia 
(2006/120-072) 

Location 

Russian Federation, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2006 – November 2009 

ILO - International Labour Organization 

€ 2.433.508 / €1.945.105 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

This  project  aims  at  promoting  a  better  management  of  legal  economic 
migration and at increasing the level of protection of migrants' rights through 
seminars,  trainings  and  legal  advice  in  several  NIS.  In  particular  in  the 
Russian federation it aims at developing practical methods for assessing and 
forecasting labour market requirements with a view to improving migration 
governance, as well as a system of earned regularisation and introduce sound 
regularisation policies and procedures. 

EN 

55 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

NGO  and  Governmental  Cooperation  Across  the  South  Caucasus  to 
Develop  a  Joint  Response  to  Trafficking  in  Women  and  Children 
(2006/118051) 

Location 

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia 

Implementing 
Partner 

Eesti  Naisuurimus  Ja  Teabekeskus  Mtu  (Estonian  Women’s  Studies  and 
Resource Center) 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€600.000 / € 480.000 

Funding Programme  EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The  project’s  goal  is  to  raise  the  qualification  of  law  enforcement  staff, 
social  services  and  journalists.  It  will  establish  links  between  these  actors 
and  establish  regional  referral  mechanisms.  The  project  will  carry  out  a 
public  awareness  campaign  about  trafficking.  It  will  carry  out  regional 
research and regular monitoring of the situation. 

Project Name 

Development of a comprehensive anti-trafficking response in  Armenia, 
Azerbaijan and Georgia (2006/104772) 

Location 

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

ILO with ICMPD, OSCE 

€ 1.874.989,76 / € 1.500.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

This  regional  project  aims  at  contributing  to  the  progressive  reduction  of 
trafficking  in  human  beings  in  the  SC  countries  through  capacity  building 
and  empowerment  of  actual  and  potential  victims.  It  includes  revision  of 
National  strategies  and  support  to  their  implementation,  awareness  raising, 
strengthening  capacity  of  national  authorities  and  improve  identification, 
protection and reintegration of victims. 

EN 

56 

   EN 

 
 
 
Armenia 

Project Name 

Support  to  Migration  Policy  Development  and  Relevant  Capacity 
Building in Armenia (2006/120-233) 

Location 

Armenia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2006 – November 2009 

The British Council 

€ 845.607 / € 676.485,6 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

issues,  costs,  risks,  rights  and 
1.  Raising  people’s  awareness  on 
responsibilities associated with migration; contribute to the development of 
public demand for an improved legal framework 

2.  Create  a  structure  responsible  for  providing  advice  and  reintegration 
assistance  to  Armenian  nationals  returning  from  abroad.  Material  help  will 
be  envisaged,  if  at  all  possible,  in  order  to  further  minimise  the  risk  of 
repeated emigration. 

3.  Assisting  state  agencies  in  the  process  of  drafting  legislation  and 
regulating migration. 

Azerbaijan 

Project Name 

Establishment  of  Integrated  Border  Management  Model  at  the 
Southern Border of Azerbaijan (TACIS/2006/109-609) 

Location 

Azerbaijan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

June 2006 – June 2008 

IOM 

€ 2.185.799 / € 1.987.090 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

EN 

57 

   EN 

 
 
The project will facilitate an enhanced cooperation among law enforcement 
agencies in the fight against border-related crimes, support the establishment 
and  the  activities  of  a  Border  Guards  Training  School,  and  contribute  to 
procure border equipment and to improve border infrastructure. The project 
aims  to  pilot  an  Integrated  Border  Management  Model  at  the  Southern 
Border  of  Azerbaijan,  in  an  area  comprising  30  km  of  border  intersection 
with  Iran,  including  the  international  Border  Crossing  Point  at  Bilasuvar. 
The latter is the fastest land connection between Baku and Iran, and with the 
Nakhichevan  exclave  of  Azerbaijan,  and  is  the  longest  border  Azerbaijan 
shares with any other country.  

Description 

Georgia 

Project Name 

Toward Durable Re-integration Mechanisms in Georgia (2006/120-074) 

Location 

Georgia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – October 2008 

Dansk Flygtningehjaelp 

€ 639.352,80 / € 511.354,37 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The Georgian Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation (MRA) capacitated 
to implement its mandatory function of supporting re-integration of returning 
migrants,  rejected  asylum  seekers  and  other  displaced  groups  MRA 
capacitated  to  take  a  co-ordinating  function  on  issues  related  to  re-
integration  of  returning  migrants  and  rejected  asylum  seekers  vis-à-vis  the 
relevant  Georgian  state  actors  and  European  Governments  engaged  in 
bilateral support to re-integration. 

EN 

58 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Prevention  of  trafficking  in  human  beings,  monitoring  and  support  to 
the  implementation  of  the  National  Action  Plan  on  counter  trafficking 
(2006/122530) 

Location 

Georgia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

September 2006 – December 2007 

Peoples Harmonious Development Society Association  

€ 77.580 / € 50.000 

Funding Programme  EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights) 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

This micro-grant is supporting the fight against trafficking in human beings 
in Georgia through prevention and development of institutional mechanisms 
for prosecution of trafficking and protection of trafficking victims as well as 
through  the  monitoring  and  support  to  the  implementation  of  the  Plan  of 
Action against Trafficking.  

Project Name 

Contribute to the transformation of the Georgian Border Guards into a 
civilian agency under the Ministry of Interior. (2006/) 

Location 

Georgia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – July 2007 

Finnish Border Guards 

€ 1.000.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC Delegation Tblisi 

Description 

The  project  aims  to  establish  and  equip  a  Border  Police  faculty  in  the 
Georgian Police Academy. An additional €1 million available under TACIS 
NAP  2004  and  should  be  used  to  continue  with  assistance  to  the  Georgian 
Border  Guard  Faculty  for  one  more  year,  contract  to  be  signed before  July 
2007. 

EN 

59 

   EN 

 
 
1.3 Russian Federation 

Project Name 

“House  for  Asylum  seekers  and  Refugees  in  Saint  Petersburg” 
(2003/HLWG/076)  and  “Complex  action  for  improvement  of  refugees 
reception system in St. Petersburg – Russia”(2006/120-135) 

Location 

Russian Federation 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

March 2005 – October 2008 

St. Petersburg Centre for International Cooperation of the Red Cross 

€ 897.500 / € 698.740,00 (2003/HLWG/076) 

€ 664.856,20 / €502.764,26 (2006/120-135) 

Funding Programme  HLWG B7-667 and AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

JLS and EuropeAid 

Description 

The project aims to increase the capacities of St Petersburg in the reception, 
registration,  documentation  and  integration  of  refugees  and  asylum  seekers 
and  the  protection  of  their  rights  by  means  of  supplying  them  with  legal, 
psychological,  medical  and  social  assistance  and  temporary  settlement  in  a 
special building.  

Project Name 

Migration Rights: Network of Legal Assistance to Refugees and Forced 
Migrants in Russian Regions (2003/HLWG/082 and 2006/120-166) 

Location 

Russian Federation 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2005 – December 2009 

Memorial Human Rights Centre 

€ 762.675,50 / € 1.042.672,82 (2003/HLWG/082) 
€ 1.756.092,84 / 1.404.874,27 (2006/120-166) 

Funding Programme  HLWG and AENEAS 

Responsible DG 

JLS and EuropeAid 

Description 

The  projects  foresee  at  providing  legal  counselling  and  representing  forced 
migrants in the courts, the development of the asylum system in the Russian 
Federation,  establishing  a  system  of  effective  international  protection  for 
forced migrants in Russia and promoting respect for international standards 
and  rights  for  refugees,  stateless  persons,  IDPs  and  forced  and  labour 
migrants. 

EN 

60 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Assistance to the Government of the Russian Federation in Establishing 
a  Legal  and  Administrative  Framework  for  the  Development  and 
Implementation of Readmission Agreements (2006/120-282) 

Location 

Russian Federation 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

February 2007 – January 2009 

IOM 

€ 1.756.092,84 / € 1.404.874,27 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

With  this  project,  the  EC  provides  assistance  to  the  Russian  Federal 
Migration  Service  in  its  preparation  towards  the  implementation  of  the 
readmission  agreement  with  the  EC.  The  project  aims  more  specifically  to 
upgrade  the  treatment  of  readmitted  illegal  migrants  that  are  nationals  of 
third  countries,  through  promoting  the  creation  of  a  model  centre  in  Pskov 
and  disseminating  information  on  best  practices  in  this  field  (including  on 
assisted voluntary returns). 

Project Name 

Prevention of Human Trafficking (2005/115237) 

Location 

Russian Federation 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

March 2006 – August 2008 

IOM 

€ 4.444.444 / € 4.000.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC DEL Moscow 

Description 

The main objective of the project is to combat trafficking in human beings in 
the Russian Federation as a country of origin, transit and destination – by: (i) 
improving the legislative framework and the State policies regarding human 
trafficking,  including  the  national  capacity  to  assess  and  measure  this 
phenomenon  in  Russia;  (ii)  strengthening  the  capacity  of  the  relevant  law 
enforcement  agencies  to  combat  human  trafficking;  raising  awareness 
amongst  the  risk  group,  general  public  and  relevant  Russian  authorities, 

EN 

61 

   EN 

 
 
 
NGOs  and  diplomatic  missions  of  foreign  states;  and  (iii)  building  the 
capacity  of  the  national  authorities  and  local  NGO  networks  to protect  and 
reintegrate victims of trafficking.  

2. Other regions 

2.1  Eastern  Mediterranean  ENP  partner  countries  (Syria,  Lebanon  and  Jordan)  and  Middle 

Eastern countries (Iran and Iraq) 

Regional 

Project Name 

International  migration 
(2005/103579) 

from  Middle  East  and  North  Africa 

Location 

Middle East and North Africa 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – December 2008 

World Bank 

€ 916.963 / € 733.570 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Identify  and  support  the  implementation  of  projects,  policies,  regional 
arrangements,  and  institutional  reforms  that  will  maximise  the  benefits  of 
international migration flows and reduce their costs. 

Project Name 

Management  of  asylum  and  migration  in  North  Africa  and  improving 
protection  of  for  asylum-seekers  and  refugees  in  Jordan,  Lebanon  and 
Syria, with focus on Iraqis’ (2006/126-820) 

Location 

Middle East and North Africa 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

UNHCR 

€ 5.000.000 / € 4.000.000 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

EN 

62 

   EN 

 
 
 
Description 

€1 m of the total budget is reserved to strengthen the protection mechanisms 
in  Jordan,  Syria  and  Lebanon,  with  particular  focus  on  Iraqi  refugees  and 
asylum-seekers. 

Project Name 

Enhancing  civil  society  participation  in  human  rights  management  of 
migration (2005/103558) 

Location 

Middle East and North Africa 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2005 – March 2008 

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network -EMHRN 

€ 669.499 / € 535.598 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

This project supports the work of NGOs dealing with migrants and asylum 
seekers  in  all  the  Maghreb  and  Mashrek  countries,  including  Jordan, 
Lebanon and Syria. 

Lebanon 

Project Name 

Legal  protection  to  migrant  workers  and  asylum  seekers  in  Lebanon 
(2001/50530) 

Location 

Lebanon 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

April 2003 – March 2007 

Caritas 

€ 761.300 / € 761.300 

Funding Programme  MEDA 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

The overall objective of this project is the protection of the human and legal 
rights of migrant workers and asylum-seekers in Lebanon. 

By the end of its implementation period:  

EN 

63 

   EN 

 
 
 
1. The existing legal protections for migrants’ rights will be enforced in the 
courts  of  Lebanon  and  migrants  will  have  access  to  the  legal  and  social 
counselling necessary to take advantage of these protections; 

2.  Migrants  and  asylum-seekers  will  be  more  capable  of  protecting 
themselves  from  abuse,  exploitation  and  detention  by  understanding  and 
using the legal process and their social networks; 

3. The Lebanese public will be informed of the legal and human rights of the 
migrants working and living among them and of the nature and extent of the 
abuse and exploitation they experience; 

4.  The  official  administrative  instructions  and  general  practices  regulating 
the  status  and  treatment  of  migrant  workers,  especially  female  household 
workers, will provide greater protection for their human and legal rights. 

2.2 Central Asia 

Regional 

Project Name 

Border Management in Central Asia (BOMCA) 

Location 

Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

From 2003 - ongoing 

UNDP 

€ 13.600.000 (additional €12 million reserved) 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG  

EC Delegation Almaty 

Description 

The  overall  objectives  of  the  programme  are  1)  to  enhance  security  in 
Central Asia; 2) to reduce the flow of illicit traffic through the countries of 
the region; 3) to contribute to an increased flow of persons and legal goods 
across  Central  Asian  borders.  The  specific  objective  of  BOMCA  is  to 
strengthen  the  five  countries'  capacities  in  managing  their  borders  in 
accordance  with  European  best  practices.  The  programme  addresses  all  the 
issues  related  to  border  management,  including  improvement  of  relevant 
legislation,  training,  study  tours,  funding  of  infrastructures,  supplying  of 
equipment  for  upgrading  of  security  at  border  crossing  points,  on  certain 
parts of the green border of the countries and in selected airports. It supports 
as well training centres, facilitated networking and regional coordination. 

EN 

64 

   EN 

 
 
 
Project Name 

Central Asian Labour Migration Programme (2006/131406) 

Location 

Central Asia  

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

November 2006 – October 2008 

IOM 

€ 1.900.000 / € 1.700.000 

Funding Programme  TACIS 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Tajikistan 

Project Name 

in  sending  countries 

The  project  supports  in  Kazakhstan  the  improvement  of  labour  migration 
data and statistics, the development of a national labour migration strategy, 
capacity building for migration authorities, protection of migrants’ rights via 
like  Tajikistan,  Kirghizstan  and 
NGOs,  while 
Uzbekistan  it  is  aimed  at  better  regulating  and  inspecting  employment 
agencies, 
information  for  would  be  migrants,  enhancing 
capacities  of  national  authorities  to  protect  nationals  working  abroad.  At 
regional  level  the  project  promotes  raising  awareness  among  decision 
makers and promotes coordination and dialogue.  

increasing 

Enhancing  Development  Impact  of  Remittances  and  Promoting  legal 
migration in Rural Communities. (2006/120-262) 

Location 

Tajikistan 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – December 2008 

IOM 

€ 669.655 / 535.724 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

To enhance the development impact of labour migration and remittances in 
migrant  sending  areas  through  remittance-linked  education  and  investment 
initiatives  as  well  as  promoting  legal  migration  through  information 
dissemination and training of community based entities on reality of labour 
migration. 

EN 

65 

   EN 

 
 
 
2.3 Asian countries of origin 

As regards Asiatic countries, a big distinction is to be made between 1) actions providing material help 
to  internally  displaced  people  (IDPs)  of  countries  in  crisis  situations  or  to  its  nationals  having 
massively fled in a neighbouring country, which were carried out mainly through the "Aid to Uprooted 
People"  budget  line,  and  2)  actions  more  specifically  addressing  other  aspects  of  migrations  and  in 
particular migrations towards the EU. 

As  concerns  the  "Aid  to  Uprooted  People"  budget  line,  there  have  been  several  large  scale 
interventions concentrated in a few countries. Among them Afghanistan was a priority. €145.4 million 
was allocated between 2001 and 2006. Interventions aimed at facilitating return and reintegration of 
internally displaced Afghans or Afghans willing to repatriate in particular from Iran and Pakistan by 
facilitating land and houses recovery, access to information and employment, removal of various legal 
and  material  obstacles.  The  programme  also  supported  the  functioning  of  the  Afghanistan 
Comprehensive Solutions Unit (ACSU), whose task is to steer the overall collection of information on 
Afghans  abroad  and  promotion  and  coordination  of  their  return  and  reintegration  back  home,  while 
coordinating among all the State agencies and the actors involved into this process. 

Furthermore, the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line mobilised between 2001 and 2004 up to €3.8 
million to support Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. In the same period, €26 million were allocated to help 
Burmese refugees in Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand. Additional €18 million were allocated under 
the budgets 2005 and 2006 of that budget line. 

In Indonesia €15.7 million were mobilised by the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line, with focus on 
Sulawesi and Timor populations. 

The "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line mobilised €8.5 million between 2001 and 2004 for projects 
implemented by UNHCR in the Philippines aimed at assisting internally displaced people, with special 
focus on Mindanao. At the same time, in Sri Lanka the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line provided 
up to €15.5 million between 2001 and 2004 for projects implemented by UNHCR aimed at assisting 
internally displaced people. 

Furthermore many more interventions of a purely humanitarian nature were promoted by ECHO. 

Project Name 

Regional  Dialogue  and  Program  on  facilitating  managed  and  legal 
migration between Asia and the EU (2005/103523) 

Location 

Asia 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2005 – December 2007 

IOM 

€ 1.060.728 / € 848.583 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Develop  legal  migration  and  enhance  regional  dialogue  and  cooperation  in 
facilitating managed migration from Asia to the EU. 

EN 

66 

   EN 

 
Project Name 

Asian  Programme  of 
(2005/103503) 

the  Governance  of  Labour  Migration 

Location 

Countries of the Mekong region, China, Korea, Japan and South Asia  

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – December 2008 

ILO and UNIFEM 

€ 2.447.840 / € 1.955.335 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

Responsible DG 

EuropeAid 

Description 

Bangladesh 

Project Name 

The  project  aims  to  promote  active  dialogue  and  cooperation  for  enhanced 
gender and rights-based management of labour migration among countries in 
the Asian region, and thereby minimize exploitative and abusive treatment of 
migrant  workers.  The  project  contributes  to  the  adoption  of  appropriate 
policies  and  the  enactment  of  enabling  laws,  the  training  of  labour 
administrators,  improving  information  systems  for  decision-making,  and 
promoting  bilateral  agreements  and  regular  consultations  among  the 
countries in the region. 

Anti-Trafficking  of  Human  Beings  within 
Programme (Asia/2006/124252) 

the  Police  Reform 

Location 

Bangladesh 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2007 – October 2009 

UNDP 

€13.700.000 / € 2.000.000 

Funding Programme  ALA 

Responsible DG  

DEL Dhaka 

Description 

Within the framework of a much larger (13.7m€) reform programme for the 
Bangladeshi  police  funded  by  DFID  and  UNPD,  the  EC  funds  one 
component which will focus on introducing a victim oriented approach, and 
should provide details on how the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police 

EN 

67 

   EN 

 
 
 
will improve the capacity of the police to investigate THB, on the one hand 
by ensuring that witnesses are treated in such a way that they feel safe and 
comfortable enough by supporting the investigations and on the other hand 
to  have  the  capacity  to  investigate  cases  without  being  fully  dependent  on 
victim-witnesses.  The  project  also  strives  to  increase  access  to  justice  to 
victims  of  human  trafficking,  create  understanding  among  police  officers 
how  to  deal  with  trafficking  cases,  and  how  and  when  to  work  together 
closely  with  other  Ministries,  the  NGO  community,  and  international 
organisations to ensure best possible referral of the victims. 

China 

Project Name 

Capacity Building For Migration Management in China (2006/120-244) 

Location 

Philippines 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

IOM 

€ 2499548,85 / € 1999639,08 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2005 

Responsible DG  

EuropeAid 

Description 

IOM  is  supported  to  contribute  to  the  reduction  of  illegal  migration  from, 
into and through the PRC, including to the EU; to support the enhancement 
of the national capacity for migration management in the PRC; to contribute 
to building a sustainable and viable network of partnerships and cooperation 
in the area of migration between the administration of the PRC and EU MS 
and  to  increase  mutual  understanding  and  knowledge  of  respective 
approaches  to  migration  and  migration  management  between  the  PRC  and 
the EU. 

Project Name 

MIGRAMACAO (2005/103671) 

Location 

Macao 

Implementation 
period 

January 2006 – December 2007 

Implementing 
Partner 

Cabinet  of  Secretary  for  Security  of  the  Macao  Special  Administrative 
Region 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

€ 626.131 / € 500.904,80 

Funding Programme  AENEAS 2004 

EN 

68 

   EN 

 
 
 
Responsible DG  

EuropeAid 

The aim of the MIGRAMACAU action is to ensure entities of Macao more 
effective  management  in  all  aspects  of  migration  flows,  including  the 
prevention  and  combating  of  illegal  migration  and  trafficking  of  human 
beings through the cooperation with regional countries and the coordination 
with the EC. 

Description 

Philippines 

Project Name 

Philippines Border Management Project (2005/113-343) 

Location 

Philippines 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2006 – January 2009 

IOM 

€ 5.145.000 / € 4.900.000 

Funding Programme  ALA 

Responsible DG  

DEL Manila 

Description 

This project contributes to the efforts of the Government of the Philippines 
towards a more professional migration and border management in line with 
international norms and protocols.  

Project Name 

“The Opportunity Card” (2003/HLWG/031) 

Location 

Philippines 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

June 2004 – December 2005 

Opportunity International 

€ 701.417,11 / € 530.055,00 

Funding Programme  HLWG – B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

The  project  led  by  Opportunity  International  UK  (an  international  network 
of  microfinance  organisations)  aims  to  provide  a  remittance  product  for 
overseas  Filipino  workers  to  remit  monies  back  to  the  Philippines.  The 

EN 

69 

   EN 

 
 
 
product  provides  a  secure  and  economically  competitive  means  for 
remittances  to  be  made  and  uses  the HSBC  (bank)  Money  transfer  product 
which  takes  the  form  of  a  cash  card  to  be  held  by  the  recipients  of  the 
remittance. The initial target is of 15,000 new cards. 

The aim was thus to increase the amount of remittances as a tool to alleviate 
poverty by making them more accessible, cost and time-effective and safe.  

Sri Lanka 

Project Name 

Possible Establishment of an Information Exchange System Field-Based 
Country  of  Origin  Information  System  With  Regard  to  Sri  Lanka 
(2001/HLWG/122) 

Location 

Sri Lanka 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

January 2002 – April 2005 

ICMPD 

€ 1.079.663,55; EU grant: € 863.731,00 

Funding Programme  HLWG – B7-667 

Responsible DG 

JLS 

Description 

The purpose of this project was to provide country of origin information to 
interested Governments when dealing with pre-departure return planning of 
Sri Lankan nationals and therefore facilitating a more successful integration 
of Sri Lankan national returnees. 

Project Name 

Capacity  Building  in  Migration  Management  and  Sustainable  Return 
and  Reintegration  in  Sri  Lanka  (2001/HLWG/130,  2002/HLWG/002, 
2003/HLWG/060, 2005/103522) 

Location 

Sri Lanka 

Implementation 
period 

Implementing 
Partner 

Budget/EC 
contribution 

December 2001 – November 2007 

IOM 

€ 1.353.141 / € 1.082.513 (2001/HLWG/130) 
€ 600.000 / € 507.713,70 (2002/HLWG/002) 

€ 1.115.397,90 / € 892.318,32 (2003/HLWG/060) 
€ 2.341.830 / € 1.873.464 (2005/103522) 

EN 

70 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
Funding Programme  HLWG and AENEAS 

Responsible DG 

JLS and EuropeAid 

Description 

The EC’s support to Sri Lanka focuses at  strengthening the capacity of Sri 
Lanka  to  manage  migration,  enhance  regular  migration,  support  assisted 
voluntary  return  and  reintegration  and  foster  economic  relations  and 
exchange  of  experience  between  Sri  Lankan  migrants  and  their  home 
country. In addition, the four projects strived to build the capacity of the Sri 
Lankan  government  to  reduce  irregular  migration  into  and  through  Sri 
Lanka,  and  a  wide  range  of  training  activities  were  conducted,  both  within 
Sri Lanka as is the EU. 

EN 

71 

   EN 

 
Annex III:  
Overview of the migratory situation and flows from and in the Eastern and South-Eastern 
regions neighbouring the EU and statistics 

The  latest  available  data  indicates  that  around  5.5  million  migrants  from  countries  in  the  Eastern 
and  South-Eastern  regions  are  residing  legally  in  the  EU,  which  represents  nearly  30%  of  all 
resident  third-country  nationals.  The  most  important  countries  of  origin  are  Turkey,  Serbia, 
Montenegro, Albania and Ukraine. 

In terms of illegal immigration, and in comparison to migration from Africa, migration from the 
Eastern  and  South-Eastern  regions  is  different  in  nature:  the  flows  are  more  constant  (there  is  no 
specific  seasonal  cycle),  more  diffuse  (given  the multiplicity of possible  entry points and the fact 
that  an  important  share  of  illegal  immigration  is  due  to  persons  who  enter  the  EU  legally  but 
overstay  their  visa)  and  more  under  the  control  of  networks  connected  with  organised  crime  and 
involved in multiform criminal businesses. 

As  regards  numbers,  a  rough  analysis  suggests  that  migration  flows  to  the  EU  originating  in 
neighbouring countries reached its peak at the end of the 1990s and that this is now stabilising if not 
slightly  declining;  this  is  a  trend  that  is  likely  to  continue  due  to  economic  growth  and  increased 
political  stability.  At  the  same  time  there  is  evidence  that  migrants  from  Asia  are  seeking  new 
routes  into  the  EU  via  Africa,  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Atlantic.  It  is  predicted  that  flows  from 
Asia will increase. 

While illegal immigration negatively impacts on the EU, countries of origin are also significantly 
affected by migration. Whilst in some cases, attracting migrant labour is an important concern for 
the EU given the sharp decline in population, for countries of origin difficult economic situations 
can  generate  high  levels  of  emigration  among  people  of  working  age,  people  who  may  then 
however remit important earnings to their country of origin. 

Assessing the scale and nature of migratory flows from, through or to the countries in the Eastern 
and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU is a difficult task which must take into account the 
changes in the EU's external borders: following enlargement of the Union to include Bulgaria and 
Romania,  the  EU  now  has  more  extended  external  borders  with  Serbia,  the  former  Yugoslav 
Republic  of  Macedonia,  Ukraine  and  Turkey;  a  new  external  border  with  Moldova;  and  an 
additional external sea border at the Black Sea which brings the countries of the Southern Caucasus 
closer. Land borders are also due to change as soon as the newer Member States join the Schengen 
area. As the borders of the EU shift, migratory routes also shift, displacing existing routes or adding 
new ones. New routes also appear when certain routes are closed off following increased action by 
enforcement agencies charged with tackling illegal immigration and organised crime. In addition, in 
recent years migratory flows have increasingly diversified and new migratory flows are emerging 
alongside traditional and relatively long-standing ones. In this context, migration is more difficult to 
manage and Member States increasingly turn to the EU to seek solutions via cross-border dialogue 
and cooperation with and within the partner regions. 

Regarding  asylum,  according  to  UNHCR,  seven  of  the  ten  main  countries  of  origin  of  asylum-
seekers in the EU in 2004 were countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the 
EU, namely in the Western Balkans, the Middle East and Asia. This is compared to three countries 
in  sub-Saharan  Africa.  Capacity  to  ensure  proper  asylum  processing  in  many  countries  of  these 
regions is weak. Even when refugees staying in the region enjoy legal security, the poor social and 
economic climate is a barrier to integration. 

EN 

72 

   EN 

 
TABLE  1:  Nationals  of  Eastern  and  South-Eastern  countries  neighbouring  the  EU  and  of 
Asiatic countries registered by EU-25 

As 
residing (2004) 

Legally 

As  Apprehended 
illegal  migrants 
(2005) 

As  receivers  of  a 
visa (2005) 

As 
seekers (2005) 

asylum 

From 
Caucasus  

South 

93,504 

6,903

78,774 

12,896

From 
Europe 

Eastern 

536,658 

41,211

2,039,952 

9,322

2,502,906 

83,173

838,174 

25,890

From  Western 
Balkans 

From Turkey 

From 
Federation 

Russian 

From 
countries12  

Asiatic 

TOTAL 
groups above 

all 

2,456,186 

485,053 

9,749

13,844

532,177 

2,833,392 

TOTAL 

6,074,307 

154,880

6,322,469 

2,002,589 

58,518

1,447,382 

10,746

18,143

76,997

62,975

8,079,154 

213,398

7,769,851 

139,972

TABLE 2: Number of illegal migrants apprehended by law enforcement agencies of Eastern and 
South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU 

Year 2004 

Year 2005 

In South Caucasus  

In Eastern Europe 

In Western Balkans 

In Turkey 

TOTAL  

3,123 

10,104 

6,919 

61,228 

81,374 

3,029 

13,748 

8,234 

57,428 

82,439 

Notes:  Figures  are  Commission  estimates  based  on  the  apprehension  reports  by  ICMPD  and  other  national  sources 
Apprehended own nationals are in some cases included.  

Data from Turkey includes apprehensions within the country. Source: ICMPD: 2005 Yearbook. Vienna 2006. 

South Caucasus: no data was available for Armenia. 

12 

'Asiatic countries' includes here: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, India, 
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. 

EN 

73 

   EN 

 
  
 
 
                                                 
Western Balkans: For Albania for 2004 no data was available.  

Western NIS: For Belarus only the number of apprehended illegal migrants by MOI was available. For Moldova only 
the number of deported persons was available. 

TABLE 3: Number of asylum seekers registered in Eastern and South Eastern countries neighbouring 
the EU- Year 2004 

Total asylum seekers 

South Caucasus  

Eastern Europe 

Western Balkans 

Turkey 

TOTAL  

1,431

2,189

586

3,908

8,114

Source: UNHCR Statistical yearbook 2004 

EN 

74 

   EN 

 
 
 
TABLE 4: Stock of third country nationals from Eastern countries legally residing in the EU27 

Nationals of Eastern and South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU, including Russian Federation 

Turkey 

Serbia-
Montenegro 

Albania 

Russian 
Federation  

Ukraine 

Bosnia 
Herzegovina 

and 

Croatia 

Former  Yugoslav 
Republic 
of 
Macedonia 

Moldova 

Armenia 

Georgia 

Azerbaijan 

Belarus 

TOTAL 

2456186

839247

778748

485053

451283

352449

338307

194155

82011

59381

31166

2957

3364

6074307

Nationals of Asiatic countries of transit and origin 

China 

India 

Iraq  

Pakistan 

Sri Lanka 

Islamic Republic of Iran 

Vietnam 

Indonesia 

405546 

326592 

186505 

170734 

149329 

131932 

126862 

124088 

EN 

75 

   EN 

 
Bangladesh 

Afghanistan 

Lebanon 

Syria 

Jordan 

Uzbekistan  

Kirgizstan 

Kazakhstan  

Turkmenistan 

Tajikistan 

113464 

92119 

74227 

54704 

17290 

10313 

9759 

6257 

1755 

1113 

TOTAL  nationals  from  Asiatic 
countries 

2002589 

Distribution of the stock of third country nationals living in the EU27

Nationals from other third 
countries 
55%

Nationals from eastern and 
south eastern neighbouring 
countries and Russia
34%

Nationals from Asiatic countries 
of transit and origin
11%

EN 

76 

   EN 

 
TABLE 5: Visa data 

Group 1  

Russia 

Ukraine 

Belarus 

2833392

1348162

629849

Serbia and Montenegro 

541244

Turkey 

Albania 

Bosnia and 
Herezegovina  

Moldova 

Georgia 

Armenia 

Croatia 

Azerbaijan 

532177

136569

128750

61941

40322

21911

17545

16541

Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia 

Total group 1 

14066

6322469

Group 2 

China 

India 

Iran 

Kazakhstan 

Lebanon 

Indonesia 

Pakistan 

Syria 

Vietnam 

592644

292861

104898

104166

74299

67931

40243

37708

35372

EN 

77 

   EN 

 
  
 
  
Jordan 

Sri Lanka 

Uzbekistan 

Bangladesh 

Kyrgizstan 

Iraq 

Turkmenistan 

Afghanistan 

Tajikistan  

31449

16984

12232

11808

8930

6563

4033

3526

1735

TOTAL group 2 

1447382

TOTAL group 1 + group 2 

TOTAL visas issued worldwide 

7769851 

11709251 

Percentage of visas issued in countries group 1 

54% 

Percentage of visas issued in countries group 2 

12,30% 

NB. Transit A visas not included. Data is for the year 2005.  

Source: Visa data collection managed by Council secretariat and Commission 

EN 

78 

   EN 

 
 
TABLE 6: Apprehended illegal aliens in EU25, 2004-2005 

Group 1 

Country 

Albania 

Ukraine 

Russia 

Serbia 
Montenegro 

Moldova 

Turkey  

Georgia 

Former  Yugoslav 
Republic 
of 
Macedonia 

Belarus 

Bosnia 

Armenia 

Croatia 

Azerbaijan 

Nationals  of  Eastern  and  South-
Eastern  countries  neighbouring  the 
EU including Russian Federation  

2004 

36965 

29156 

17276 

6988 

10710 

9775 

5627 

3532 

2911 

2663 

2142 

1110 

1417 

2005

52388

26791

13844

13058

11444

9749

4009

3518

2976

2483

1938

1151

956

Total group 1 

134,597 

154,880 

Group 2 

Country 

Iraq 

China 

India 

Nationals  of  Asiatic  countries  of 
origin and transit  

2004 

6861 

10715 

9168 

2005

14242

10894

9905

EN 

79 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
Pakistan 

Iran 

Bangladesh 

Vietnam 

Syria 

Afghanistan 

Lebanon 

Sri Lanka 

Uzbekistan 

Kazakhstan 

Kirgyzstan 

Jordan 

Indonesia 

Tajikistan 

Turkmenistan 

5151 

2858 

3223 

2325 

1526 

724 

736 

1101 

517 

616 

301 

161 

147 

109 

73 

6724

4640

3551

2338

1728

909

803

745

642

587

350

212

114

100

34

Total group 2 

46312 

58518

TOTAL  

groups 1 & 2 

180,909  

213,398 

Total 
apprehended 
illegals 
all 
in 
countries in EU25 

%  from  2  above 
groups  on  global 
total 

Source: Eurostat 

390123 

423378

46.37% 

50,40%

NB – Order in the list follows 2005 ranking.  

Missing data: Ireland, Luxembourg, UK 

EN 

80 

   EN 

 
 
TABLE 7: Asylum applications and positive decisions in EU25, 2004-2005 

Asylum applications and positive decisions in EU25, 2004-2005 

Source: Eurostat 

Group 1 

2004  

2005  

Country  

Applications  Positive decisions 

Ratio  %  between 
applications 
and 
positive decisions 

Applications  Positive decisions 

Ratio  %  between 
applications 
and 
positive decisions 

Serbia Montenegro 

Russia 

Turkey  

Georgia 

Moldova 

Armenia 

Bosnia 

Ukraine 

Azerbaijan 

17432

26373

13547

7452

5229

3682

3955

4569

3630

1866

7446

1611

189

90

193

1134

138

362

EN 

19475

18143

10746

6330

4506

3793

3183

3077

2773

10,70

28,23

11,89

2,54

1,72

5,24

28,67

3,02

9,97

81 

1978

8386

1453

153

75

427

875

118

714

10,16

46,22

13,52

2,42

1,66

1,26

27,49

3,83

25,75

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Belarus 

FYR of Macedonia 

Albania 

Croatia 

1931

2000

1882

456

165

38

214

17

Total group 1 

92138

13463

8,54

1,90

11,37

3,73

14,61

1739

1578

1378

276

216

68

120

26

76997

14609

12,42

4,31

8,71

9,42

18,97

2004  

2005  

Country  

Applications  Positive decisions 

Ratio  %  between 
applications 
and 
positive decisions 

Applications  Positive decisions 

Ratio  %  between 
applications 
and 
positive decisions 

Iraq 

China 

Iran 

Pakistan 

Afghanistan 

India 

Bangladesh 

Sri Lanka 

EN 

7910

11445

8760

8940

7135

9710

5535

3600

2705

305

1560

360

2610

35

340

480

4260

345

1920

440

2420

45

225

275

39,43

4,44

25,65

6,46

35,77

0,78

5,33

7,07

10805

7765

7485

6810

6765

5795

4220

3890

34,20

2,66

17,81

4,03

36,58

0,36

6,14

13,33

82 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Syria 

Vietnam 

Lebanon 

Uzbekistan 

Kazakhstan 

Kirgyzstan 

Jordan 

Tajikistan 

Indonesia 

Turkmenistan 

2910

3340

1200

590

590

510

230

130

75

115

440

285

45

100

85

45

15

25

5

30

Total Group 2 

72725

9470

15,12

8,53

3,75

16,95

14,41

8,82

6,52

19,23

6,67

26,09

13,02

3695

2400

1320

725

435

390

255

95

70

55

730

180

130

180

85

90

25

10

0

15

62975

11375

19,76

7,50

9,85

24,83

19,54

23,08

9,80

10,53

0,00

27,27

18,06

2004  

2005  

Applications  Positive decisions  % Positive decisions  Applications  Positive decisions 

% 
decisions 

Positive 

TOTAL all groups 

164863

22933

13,91

139972

25984

18,56

asylum 
Total 
applications/decisions 
from  all  countries  in 

EN 

282480

62986   

237840

73068   

83 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EU25 

Percentage 
above 
global total 

from  2 
on 

groups 

58,36%

36,40%   

58,85%

35,56%   

N.B. Order on the list follows order of importance of applications in 2005 

The ratio between applications and positive decisions is not a recognition rate 

Remarks: 

Data rounded up to the nearest 5. 

2004 - no applications data disaggregated by citizenship available for IT 

2004 - no decisions data available for IT 

2004, 2005 - no decisions data available for LU 

EN 

84 

EN