COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL FOURTH REPORT UNDER THE VISA SUSPENSION MECHANISM
Date: 2021-08-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU visa policy, coronavirus disease, corruption, epidemic, external border of the EU, free movement of persons, money laundering, organised crime, third country

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.8.2021  SWD(2021) 206 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL FOURTH REPORT UNDER THE VISA SUSPENSION MECHANISM {COM(2021) 602 final}  
 
 
Table of contents  

Republic of Albania ................................................................................................. 3 

1. 
1.1.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  area  of  migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................... 3 

1.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission .......... 4 

1.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security ...................................................................................................................... 4 

Bosnia and Herzegovina .......................................................................................... 7 

2. 
2.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................... 7 

2.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission .......... 8 

2.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security ...................................................................................................................... 8 

3.  Montenegro .............................................................................................................. 9 
3.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................... 9 

3.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission ........ 11 

3.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security .................................................................................................................... 11 

Republic of North Macedonia .............................................................................. 13 

4. 
4.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................. 13 

4.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission ........ 14 

4.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security .................................................................................................................... 15 

Republic of Serbia ................................................................................................. 18 

5. 
5.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................. 18 

5.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission ........ 21 

5.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security .................................................................................................................... 21 

Activities and projects at regional level – Western Balkans .............................. 24 
6. 
6.1. 
Integrated Border Management, Migration and Asylum ........................................ 24 
6.2.  Public order and security ......................................................................................... 24 

Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111 

 
 
 
      
7.  Georgia ................................................................................................................... 25 
7.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................. 25 

7.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission ........ 27 

7.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security .................................................................................................................... 28 

Republic of Moldova ............................................................................................. 30 

8. 
8.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................. 30 

8.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission ........ 33 

8.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security .................................................................................................................... 33 

Ukraine ................................................................................................................... 36 

9. 
9.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission .................................................................. 36 

9.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission ........ 38 

9.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security .................................................................................................................... 39 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.  Republic of Albania 

1.1.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  area  of  migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission 

In order to strengthen capacity and ensure efficient equipment at the external border, the 
EU supported the acquisition of state of the art equipment to improve surveillance at the 
blue  and  green  borders,  including  vans  with  surveillance  radar,  thermal  and  CCTV 
cameras, patrol vessels, speed boats and maritime surveillance radars.  

Cooperation  between  the  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency  (Frontex)  and 
Albania  has  continued  to  expand  since  the  first  working  arrangement  between  Frontex 
and  the  Ministry  of  Interior  of  the  Republic  of  Albania  in  2009.  Areas  of  cooperation 
include  strengthening  border  security,  information  exchange,  preventing  and  fighting 
cross-border  criminal  activities  (including  the  smuggling  of  people),  identification  of 
forged  travel  documents,  identity  fraud,  identification  of  potential  risks  and  threats, 
exchange  of  best  practices  in  border  surveillance  and  control,  providing  support  in 
interviewing irregular immigrants,  gathering information  from  interviews with  irregular 
immigrants and trainings for Albanian staff.  

Albania was also the first third country to conclude a Frontex status agreement on border 
management cooperation (‘status  agreement’) with  the EU. The  agreement  entered into 
force on 1 May 2019, enabling the launching of a Frontex joint operation at the border 
with  Greece  on  22  May  2019.  The  Frontex  mandate  has  expanded  significantly  since 
then, most recently with the entry into force of the revised Regulation (EU) 2019/18961, 
resulting in the updating of the existing working arrangement signed on 17 March 2021.  

As regards asylum policy, on 1 February 2021, Albania adopted a new law on asylum in 
close cooperation with the Commission and the United Nations High Commissioner for 
Refugees  (UNHCR),  further  aligning  domestic  legislation  with  the  EU  acquis  and 
international  standards.  The last  temporary reception centre to  open was inaugurated in 
June  2020  in  Erseka,  aimed  at  lodging  vulnerable  migrants  and  with  capacity  to 
accommodate 30 persons.  
As  regards  operational  cooperation  with  Member  States2  in  the  field  of  border 
management, migration and asylum, in February 2020, Austria organised a training of the 
local  border  police  on  questioning 
techniques,  pre-screening,  debriefing  and 
fingerprinting  with  focus  on  smuggling.  Regular  visits  of  border  crossing  points  were 
also conducted in 2020. Croatia and Estonia provided support to Albania by participating 
in Frontex joint operations. France carried out several actions with Albanian authorities, 
in  particular  as  regards  the  fight  against  irregular  migration  and  the  dismantling  of 
irregular  migration  networks,  including  with  the  support  of  Frontex.  France  also 
deployed experts at air and land borders as part of the operations coordinated by Frontex.  

1    Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of 13 November 2019 on the European Border and Coast Guard (OJ L 295, 

14.11.2019, p. 1). 

2      For  the  purposes  of  this  report,  Member  States  refers  to  Member  States  applying  Regulation  (EU) 
2018/1806 (“the Visa Regulation”), i.e., all current Member States except Ireland, as well as Schengen 
Associated Countries. 

3 

 
 
                                                      
Germany  provided  equipment  to  enhance  border  surveillance.  Planned  trainings  could 
not  be  carried  out  due  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic.  Belgium  and  the  Netherlands 
contributed  to  an  information  and  awareness  raising  campaign  to  prevent  irregular 
migration  from  Albania  to  the  EU.  The  campaign  is  implemented  by  the  International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) in cooperation with the Albanian authorities.  Several 
new initiatives for Albania and the Netherlands to engage in bilateral activities regarding 
information  and  knowledge  exchange  are  being  discussed  and  some  were  initiated. 
However,  due  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  a  number  of  activities  were  deferred. 
Romania participated in activities coordinated by Frontex in Albania. Slovakia deployed 
eight police officers to Albania in the context of a Frontex joint operation.  

1.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission  
The  number  of  applications  for  international  protection  in  Member  States3  in  2020 
decreased for the fifth year in a row between 2019 and 2020. Similarly to 2019, France 
remained  the  most  affected  EU  Member  State,  receiving  43%  of  the  applications  for 
international  protection  lodged  by  Albanian  nationals,  followed  by  Greece  (19%)  and 
Germany (17%). 

As  regards  refusals  of  entry,  Croatia  (28%),  Hungary  (17%),  Italy  and  Greece  (14%) 
reported more than half of all refusals. Most of the refusals were issued to travellers due 
to lack of appropriate documentation to justify the purpose and conditions of stay (40%). 
An important share of entries were, furthermore, refused on the basis of alerts issued in 
the Schengen Information System (SIS) or national register for the purposes of refusing 
entry  (20%)  and  of  travellers  posing  a  risk  to  public  policy,  internal  security,  public 
health or the relations of a Member State of the European Union (19%)  – a reason that 
was consistently applied by Member States in 2020 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The number of Albanian nationals found to be irregularly staying in Member States has 
been in the 30-40 thousand range in the last five years. Greece and Germany (26% each) 
remained  the  most  affected  EU  Member  States,  similarly  to  2019,  followed  by  France 
(12%) and Hungary (10.5%).  

As  regards  return  decisions,  Greece  alone  reported  32%  of  all  return  decisions  at  EU 
level. Other main reporting countries included France (29%), Italy (11%) and Germany 
(10%).  The  number  of  the  effective  returns  of  Albanian  nationals  has  been  decreasing 
since 2016 and the trend continued in 2020 (-37%). In 2020, Greece alone returned 37% 
of all returnees from Member States, followed by France 19% and Germany (14%). 

1.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

As regards the fight against terrorism, despite a decrease in trainings due to the COVID-
19  pandemic,  the  Terrorist  Financing  Investigation  Unit  participated  in  2020  in  seven 
training  courses  on  terrorism  financing  investigation  organised  by  the  Organisation  for 

3 See footnote 2. 

4 

 
 
                                                      
Security  and  Co-operation  in  Europe  (OSCE)  and  the  United  Nations  Office  on  Drugs 
and Crime (UNDOC).  

As  regards  organised  crime,  the  current  action  plan  aims  at  strengthening  the  fight 
against  organised  crime  through  the  detection,  investigation  and  prosecution  of 
individuals,  groups  and  criminal  organisations,  also  targeting  illegal  economic  assets 
obtained  from  criminal  activity.  Joint  operational  meetings  also  took  place  with 
international  partners  in  order  to  investigate  the  follow-up  by  the  Narcotics  and 
Trafficking Investigation Unit. 

The law on preventive measures adopted in 2020 aimed at improving capacity building, 
the  level  of  detection,  tracking  and  prevention  of  organised  crime,  serious  crime  and 
terrorism,  as  well  as  prohibiting  the  use  of  property  of  illegal  origin  from  criminal 
activity. 

In  order  to  improve  exchanges  of  information  between  national  agencies,  access  to  the 
DeepSee  database  has  been  granted  to  more  police  officers.  Links  with  the  General 
Prosecutor Office and  Border and Migration Police databases  have been  set  up and are 
operational. 

Albania made a high-level political commitment to implement the Financial Action Task 
Force  (FATF)  action  plan,  covering  inter  alia  the  identification  of  money-laundering 
risks,  mutual  legal  assistance,  transparency  of  beneficial  ownership,  prosecution  and 
confiscation measures. 

The General Prosecutor issued instructions on administrative and procedural measures to 
increase  exchanges  between  national  agencies,  and  thereby  the  effectiveness  of 
investigations  related  to  money  laundering  and  terrorism  financing,  economic  and 
financial crimes, and sequestration and confiscation of criminal assets. 

The  Second  progress  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Joint  action  Plan  on  Counter 
Terrorism  for  the  Western  Balkans  was  submitted  in  February  2021.  Albania  made 
significant  progress  on  the  institutional  and  legal  framework,  the  exchange  of 
information  with  Europol  and  Member  States  and  the  management  of  returnees  from 
conflict  zones,  both  Foreign  Terrorist  Fighters  (FTFs)  and  their  families.  The 
commitment has to continue also on preventing and countering radicalisation leading to 
violent  extremism  and  terrorism.  Albania  is  considered  a  reliable  partner  in  counter-
terrorism matters by Europol.  

As  regards  cooperation  with  Europol,  Albania  participates  in  Europol’s  operational 
analysis  projects  (APs)  for  the  prevention  and  combatting  of  crimes  involving  ethnic 
Albanian  criminal  groups  and  associated  organised  crime  groups.  Albania  also 
cooperates  on  environmental  crime,  organised  property  crime,  terrorism,  migrant 
smuggling  and  trafficking  of  human  beings,  weapons  and  explosives.  Albania 
participates  in  cybercrime  related  operational  actions  concerning  DarkWeb  and  cyber-
attacks  on  information  systems  but  to  a  lesser  extent  in  operational  actions  related  to 
child sexual exploitation online and non-payment card frauds.  

Albania has shared with Europol their list of FTFs, with permission to share it with other 
Member  States,  and  updates  have  been  received  regularly.  In  2020,  Albania  also 
participated  in  the  European  Multidisciplinary  Platform  Against  Criminal  Threats 
(EMPACT)  Action  Day  Trivium,  an  international  operation  with  the  focus  on  Mobile 

5 

 
 
Organised  Crime  Groups  (MOCG).  Finally,  Albania  is  contributing  to  EU  strategic 
reports.  For  the  EU  Serious  and  Organised  Crime  Threat  Assessment  (SOCTA  2021), 
Albania provided data on eighteen crime areas and twelve organised crime groups.   

Regarding  cooperation  with  Eurojust,  in  2020,  Albania  was  involved  in  a  total  of  30 
cases  at  Eurojust,  which  is  a  slight  increase  in  comparison  to  2019  (27  cases).  Albania 
participated in eight coordination meetings and for the first time in a coordination centre. 
Albania signed two new Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) and continued its participation 
in  five  JITs  signed  previously.  These  cases  relate  mainly  to  drug  trafficking  and 
organised crime 

As regards cooperation with Member States in the field of security, Bulgaria exchanged 
information with Albania on persons involved in drug trafficking, smuggling and illegal 
production  of  cigarettes,  schemes  for  transfer  and  legalisation  of  funds  deriving  from 
criminal  activity  and  money  laundering,  and  participated  in  a  joint  police-customs 
operation  coordinated  by  Europol  to  counter  the  illegal  trafficking  of  weapons,  drugs 
migrants  and  the  use  of  forged  documents.  Finland  has  an  ongoing  Twinning  project 
(until Spring 2022) on strengthening the capacity and efficiency of the Albanian Security 
Academy.  Germany  provided  a  training  course  for  precision  shooters  and  on  tactics  in 
multiple attack situations.  

The  Netherlands  has  also  funded  a  number  of  projects  in  2020,  including  projects  to 
assist in developing an organisational culture of integrity in the Albanian State police, to 
support  the  Albanian  government  in  drafting  their  new  national  strategy  on  organised 
crime, and to raise awareness and strengthen accountability in Albania on the seizure and 
confiscation of illegal proceeds of crime. The Netherlands report good operational police 
and  judicial  cooperation  with  Albania.  Cooperation  with  Member  States  also  includes 
four  JITs  with  Italian  and  German  counterparts,  with  the  support  of  the  Instrument  for 
Pre-Accession (IPA). Albania also carried out police operations in cooperation with  law 
enforcement authorities of some Member States (e.g. Germany and Italy).  

According  to  its  annual  report,  in  2020,  the  Commissioner  for  Information  and  Data 
Protection  carried  out  550  inspections  with  public  authorities,  as  well  as  60 
administrative inquiries (of which 15 involving public entities and 45 involving private 
entities).  The  situation  created  by  the  pandemic  conditioned  and  restricted  the  on-site 
inspection activities compared to 2019. Additionally, in 2020, the Commissioner issued 
20 Recommendations (2 for controllers in the public sector and 18 for controllers in the 
private  sector)  and  3  Orders  to  controllers  in  the  private  sector.  Finally,  the 
Commissioner’s Office made 18 decisions, corresponding to 37 administrative sanctions. 

Albania  has  not  yet  signed  the  2018  Protocol  amending  the  Council  of  Europe 
Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Automatic Processing of 
Personal Data. 

6 

 
 
 
2.  Bosnia and Herzegovina  

2.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken  in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission 

The  geographical  position  of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  as  a  crossroad  of  various 
smuggling  routes  makes  it  a  bottleneck.  Many  irregular  migrants  increasingly  remain 
stranded  in  the  country  due  to  improved  efforts  of  the  authorities  to  prevent  crossings 
into  Croatia,  as  well  as  reinforced  border  controls  on  Croatian  side.  As  regards 
cooperation  in  the  area  of  integrated  border  management,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina 
participated in joint patrols with Serbia. 

Following  the  increased  influx  of  refugees  and  migrants  in  2018  and  in  2019,  the 
authorities have increased efforts to control the border, but these are still not sufficient. 
The  combined  efforts  of  the  Border  Police  with  other  agencies  in  fighting  human 
smuggling  resulted  in  higher  detection  rates.  The  Border  Police  has  adequate  expertise 
for  detecting  forged  documents  and  access  to  relevant  databases.  However,  it  remains 
understaffed  and  there  is  further  need  for  training.  Information  exchange  between 
agencies also needs to be further improved.  

Additionally, further improvements on infrastructure and equipment are needed at border 
crossing  points.  The  supervision  of  the  green  border  and  risk  analysis-led  border 
surveillance also needs to be improved. 

As regards migration management, in 2020, the Ministry of Security, in cooperation with 
other  relevant  authorities,  continued  updating  the  migration  profile  following  EU 
standards, including relevant data on legal and irregular migration. The law on foreigners 
continued to be implemented in 2020, including as regards provisions on responsibilities 
and  sanctions  for  carriers.  In  January  2021,  the  Council  of  Ministers  adopted  a  plan  of 
measures  and  activities  for  the  effective  management  of  migration  to  strengthen 
operational coordination mechanisms at all levels of government. 

A  roadmap  for  cooperation  with  the  European  Asylum  Support  Office  (EASO)  on 
asylum  and  reception  is  in  place.  In  addition  to  the  general  information  to  the  public 
regarding  the  visa-free  regime,  a  separate  campaign  was  launched  to  warn  against 
lodging  unfounded  applications  for  international  protection.  The  Ministry  of  Security 
webpage contains also a questions section, where citizens can ask for clarifications.  

As regards cooperation with Member States in the field of migration in 2020, Bosnia and 
Herzegovina  engaged  in  cooperation  activities  with  Austria,  Bulgaria,  Croatia,  Greece, 
Hungary,  Romania  and  Slovenia.  For  example,  Austria  cooperated  with  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina  and  continued  to  provide  support  through  a  project  on  the  deployment  of 
document  and  visa  advisors  in  third  countries.  Germany  signalled  that  the  bilateral 
agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina on the acceptance of European travel documents 
for  the  return  of  irregularly  staying  third-country  nationals  was  extended  for  one  year 
until  30  June  2021.  Germany  also  delivered  significant  material  assistance  to  Bosnian 
border  guards,  including  vehicles,  night  vision  equipment  and  computers.  Romania 
signalled  exchange  of  information  and  cooperation  with  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina 
migration agencies.  

7 

 
 
Member  States  report  good  cooperation  with  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  in  the  area  of 
migration,  including  as  regards  returns  and  readmission  of  nationals  of  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina,  despite  restrictions  due  to  COVID-19.  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  has 
concluded  readmission  agreements  with  the  EU  and  Schengen  associated  countries,  all 
the Western  Balkans partners, Turkey, Russia and Moldova, as well as implementation 
protocols with 16 EU Member States. Their implementation is satisfactory. Negotiations 
on readmission agreements  with  most countries  of high migratory  risk have not  started 
yet. Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a readmission agreement with Pakistan in November 
2020 which entered into force in July 2021.  

Croatia  signalled  that  it  is  constantly  facing  increased  migration  pressure,  due  to  the 
increased  number  of  irregular  migrants  from  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina.  There  are 
consistent reports of allegations of mistreatment of migrants at the EU’s borders between 
Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

2.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission  

The number of applications for international protection has been declining since 2014. In 
2020,  France  received  62%  of  applications  lodged  by  nationals  of  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina, followed by Germany (26%), Sweden and Italy (3%). 

As regards refusals of entry issued to nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia is the 
most affected country, covering nearly 80% of all reported refusals, followed by Slovenia 
(13%)  and  Hungary  (6%).  The  majority  of  refusals  were  due  to  lack  of  appropriate 
documentation  that  justified  the  purpose  and  conditions  of  stay  (71%).  The  rest  of  the 
refusals were issued to travellers posing a risk to public policy, internal security, public 
health or the relations of a Member State (16%) and on the basis of alerts issued in the 
SIS or national register (4%).  

As regards the number of nationals from Bosnia and Herzegovina found to be irregularly 
staying in Member States4, in 2020, Germany (41%) and Slovenia (19%) continued to be 
the  most  affected  countries,  similarly  to  2019,  followed  by  Hungary  (9%)  and  Austria 
(8%).          

The number of return decisions issued by Member States decreased significantly in 2020 
with  Croatia  (24%),  Germany  (18%)  and  France  (17%)  who  ordered  more  than  half  of 
the  returns.  As  regards  effective  returns  of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  nationals,  their 
number decreased (-38%). Austria (28%) and Croatia (27%) reported more than half of 
all  returns  of  nationals  of  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  followed  by  Germany  (23%)  and 
Sweden (6.5%).  

2.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

As  regards  anti-corruption  efforts,  the  Agency  for  the  Prevention  of  Corruption  and 
Coordination  of  the  Fight  against  Corruption  initiates  and  coordinates  the  development 

4 See footnote 2. 

8 

 
 
                                                      
and  implementation  of  a  coordinated  anti-corruption  policy  in  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina 
by  providing  recommendations,  guidelines,  opinions  and  instructions.  However,  the 
control of State authorities is limited, as appointments to anti-corruption bodies and their 
mandates  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  authorities  of  entities,  cantons  and  the  Brčko 
District.  

As  regards  the  fight  against  organised  crime,  the  legal  framework  is  only  partially 
aligned  with  the  EU  acquis.  The  capacity  to  collect,  record,  report  and  analyse 
appropriate  data  on  organised  crime  is  not  sufficient.  The  fight  against  transnational 
organised crime networks shows limited progress.  

The  legislation  on  trafficking  in  human  beings,  cybercrime,  anti-money  laundering, 
counter-terrorism  financing,  civil  possession  of  weapons,  explosives,  transport  of 
dangerous  goods,  etc.  needs  to  be  further  aligned  with  the  EU  acquis,  notably  for 
sanctions.   

The  second  progress  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Joint  action  Plan  on  Counter 
Terrorism for the Western Balkans was submitted in February 2021. The institutional and 
legal framework in the field of counter terrorism still presents significant gaps, most of 
the actions specifically agreed for Bosnia and Herzegovina are still partially implemented 
or  not  implemented.  More  efforts  are  needed  also  on  preventing  all  forms  of 
radicalisation leading to violent extremism and terrorism.  

As  regards  the  exchange  of  information,  in  2020,  the  operations  of  the  Joint  Risk 
Analysis  Centre  improved  through  more  efficient  data  exchange  between  participating 
agencies. The Police Academy’s curriculum increased in 2020 the time dedicated to risk 
analysis.  Additionally,  in  2019-2020  the  Joint  Police  Cooperation  Centre  (JPCC)  in 
Trebinje  improved  its  operations  through  a  significant  number  of  police  information 
exchanged with local, regional and EU law enforcement agencies, including other JPCC 
centres. 

As regards cooperation with Eurojust, in 2020, Bosnia and Herzegovina was involved in 
14 cases (up  from  six in  2019), and participated  in  two coordination  meetings and two 
joint investigation teams (one of them new). These cases related mainly to swindling and 
fraud, money laundering and organised property crime.  

As regards cooperation  with  Member States  in  the field  of security,  Germany provided 
material  assistance  to  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  law  enforcement  agencies  (Police 
Capacity  Building)  in  2020,  including  police  vehicles,  IT  equipment,  and  cameras  for 
criminal investigations. The Netherlands and Romania signalled cooperation with Bosnia 
and Herzegovina police agencies.  

In  July  2020,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  signed  the  2018  Protocol  amending  the 
Convention  for  the  protection  of  individuals  with  regard  to  automatic  processing  of 
personal data; its ratification is pending.  

9 

 
 
 
3.  Montenegro 

3.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission 

The  integrated  border  management  strategy  adopted  in  January  2020  aims  to  ensure 
European  integrated  management  of  external  borders  with  the  aim  of  effective 
management  of  respective  borders,  in  line  with  fundamental  rights  and  advancing  the 
Union's  return  policy.  In  October  2020  the  joint  border  crossing  between  Montenegro 
and Bosnia and Herzegovina became operational. In December 2020, Montenegro signed 
an Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Border Crossings for Border Traffic on 
conducting border checks at joint border crossings.  

The legal  framework on asylum  continued to  be consolidated with  the  adoption of two 
new by-laws to the asylum law. Montenegro now hosts 37 people under an international 
protection status and 18 of them are entitled to financial assistance. Training and capacity 
building activities for the staff of the Asylum Directorate continued.  

Additionally, in August 2020, a temporary container settlement was opened close to the 
border with Albania, in cooperation with the OIM and with the financial support of the 
EU.  The  new  centre  created  an  additional  reception  capacity  for  60  people.  The 
availability of this new facility and the reduction in the overall number of asylum seekers 
allowed the authorities to close the centre in Konik, where hosting standards were not at 
the required level. The total reception capacity stands at 189 beds for asylum seekers. At 
the  same  time,  the  authorities  continued  to  develop  long-term  projects  aimed  at  further 
increasing the reception capacity.  

As regards cooperation with Frontex, based on the status agreement, the Joint Operation 
Montenegro was launched with 13 experts from EU Member States. Operational activity 
started at sea on 16 October 2020, under aerial supervision of the operational area, with 
the  National  Coordination  Centre  (NCC)  Podgorica  as  focal  point.  Montenegrin  border 
police officers also attended training provided by Frontex.  

Frontex  in  general  reports  good  cooperation  with  Montenegro.  In  addition,  cooperation 
with Frontex has been reinforced with three experts deployed at border Debeli Brijeg and 
a  fourth  one  announced  in  April.  As  of  27  January,  within  the  operational  plan  2021, 
three  observers-experts  (France,  Italy  and  Romania)  were  deployed  to  border  crossing 
Sukobin-Murićani. The joint maritime control operation with Frontex started in January 
with  a  duration  of  one  year  including  also  the  border  crossing  Luka  Bar,  a  strategical 
point in the fight against cross-border crime. Surveillance is also supported by the Italian 
Guardia di Finanza in Bari.  

As  regards  operational  cooperation  with  Member  States  in  the  field  of  border 
management  and  migration,  Montenegro  has  engaged  in  joint  activities  with  Croatia, 
Estonia,  France,  Germany,  Italy,  and  Romania.  Croatia  cooperates  with  Montenegro 
bilaterally as well as through the participation of the Croatian Police in the Frontex joint 
operation in Montenegro. During 2020, three Croatian Border Police officers participated 
in  this  operation.  The  Ministry  of  Interior  of  Croatia  cooperates  with  the  Ministry  of 
Interior  of  Montenegro  in  the  area  of  Prevlaka,  the  so-called  “Zona”,  an  area  under 

10 

 
 
temporary  special  monitoring  and  sailing  regime.  Due  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic, 
mixed patrols could not be conducted during 2020.  

Estonia  supported  Montenegro  by  participating  in  Frontex  joint  operations.  France 
provided operational support to the airport in Podgorica including expertise and training 
to  strengthen  the  fight  against  irregular  migration.  Germany  provided  equipment  for 
border  surveillance  and  deployed  a  liaison  officer  of  the  German  Federal  Police  to 
Montenegro.  The  planned  training  measures  however  could  not  take  place  due  to  the 
COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, in November 2020, Italy signed a Memorandum of 
Understanding with Montenegro, aimed at strengthening police cooperation in the fight 
against  irregular  migration  and  smuggling,  especially  at  sea.  Romania  participated  in 
Frontex operational activities with one seconded expert at the Podgorica airport and three 
seconded experts in sea operational activities.  

3.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission  

The  number  of  applications  for  international  protection  by  Montenegrin  nationals  in 
Member States5 continued to decrease in 2020 and was the lowest on record. The most 
affected  Member  State  was  Germany  (60%),  followed  by  France  (34%)  and  Belgium 
(2%).  

As regards the number of refusals of entry, as in the previous years, Croatia (37%) and 
Hungary  (27%)  were  the  most  affected  countries  in  2020,  followed  by  Slovenia  and 
Germany  (10%).  35%  of  the  refusals  resulted  from  a  lack  of  documents  to  justify  the 
travellers’ purpose and conditions of stay. These were followed by refusals issued on the 
basis  that  the  travellers  represented  a  risk  to  public  policy,  internal  security  or  public 
health (23%), and the travellers had already stayed on the territory of a Member State for 
the permitted 90 days in the preceding 180-day period (12%). 

As  regards  the  number  of  Montenegrin  nationals  found  to  be  irregularly  staying  in 
Member States, in 2020, Germany remained the most affected Member State (44% of the 
total), followed by Hungary (29%) and Slovenia (7%). 

As regards  return decisions,  Germany  (34%),  France  (20%)  and Austria  (13%) ordered 
most of the returns at EU level. The number of the effective returns continued to decrease 
following  the  trend  in  the  last  five  years  (-23%)  with  Germany  (45.5%)  and  Austria 
(20%) who reported most effective returns of nationals of Montenegro in 2020, followed 
by Croatia, Netherlands and Sweden (7% each). 

3.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

As  regards  the  fight  against  trafficking  in  human  beings,  the  track  record  continued  to 
improve  in  2020.  Institutional  capacities  to  combat  trafficking  in  human  beings  have 
been  strengthened  under  the  leadership  of  a  multidisciplinary  body  overseeing  the 

5 See footnote 2. 

11 

 
 
                                                      
implementation of the Anti-Trafficking strategy. The Higher State Prosecutor's Office in 
Podgorica  continues  to  oversee  lower-level  cases  that  may  constitute  elements  of 
trafficking.  

The  Ministry  of  the  Interior  has  established  a  department  in  charge  of  identifying  and 
referring  victims  and  has  adopted  standard  operating  procedures.  In  January  2020, 
Montenegrin police uncovered a trafficking network from Taiwan, leading to the arrest of 
93 people, the largest human trafficking case in the Western Balkans. A public awareness 
campaign was launched, including a TV report on the risks of human trafficking, and a 
number of NGOs use State grants for prevention and protection activities.   

The National Drug Observatory (NDO) is embedded in a newly created Directorate for 
the prevention of drug abuse in the Ministry of Health, with a strengthened team of three 
people. In 2020, it provided for the first time in five years a national drug report to the 
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).  

Good  technical  and  scientific  capacity  exists  in  the  forensic  laboratory  and  other 
institutions dealing with drug-related issues, but data collection on drugs is not compliant 
with EMCDDA standards. The national early warning system (NEWS) is not ready to be 
linked  to  the  EU  Early  Warning  System,  as  it  has  limited  operational  capacity,  lacks 
defined procedures and sufficient involvement of law enforcement and health authorities. 
A  multi-disciplinary  Task  Force  for  the  Early  Warning  System  on  New  Psychoactive 
Substances  has  been  set  up.  The  strategy  for  the  prevention  of  drug  abuse  2013-2020 
came to an end last year. 

The staff of the Special State Prosecutors office includes a Chief Special Prosecutor, 12 
Special  Prosecutors,  two  prosecutors  who  have  been  temporarily  sent  to  work  in  the 
Special State Prosecutor's Office, one Special Prosecutor who has been seconded to the 
Centre for Training of Judges and Prosecutors, 34 civil servants and employees and four 
employees hired under a contract of employment. 

As  regards  citizenship  by  investment,  a  total  of  109  decisions  on  admission  into 
Montenegrin  citizenship  were  issued  for  37  applicants  and  72  family  members  (31 
Russian  Federation,  28  China,  12  Pakistan,  10  Lebanon,  9  Egypt,  5  Turkmenistan,  4 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 3 Belarus, 3 Hong Kong, 2 USA, 1 Iran, 1 Kazakhstan). 

As regards the fight against terrorism, Montenegro continued to implement the measures 
set  out  in  the EU-Montenegro  Implementing Arrangements  of the Joint Action Plan on 
Counter Terrorism for the Western Balkans, signed in November 2019, and submitted its 
second report in January 2021. In general, the threats of terrorism and violent extremism 
remained relatively low in the country. 

As regards cooperation with Europol, in October 2020, the police participated in the joint 
action days on extremist propaganda on the Internet. In May 2020, the Police Directorate 
joined  a  project  aimed  at  conducting  checks  related  to  financial  crime,  in  order  to 
exchange information and operational knowledge for strategic and operational purposes. 
In  counter-terrorism  matters,  Montenegro  is  considered  a  reliable  partner  by  Europol. 
Montenegro has shared its list of FTFs with Europol, giving permission to share it with 
other  Member  States.  On  6  October,  2020  Montenegro  participated  in  a  referral  action 
day  targeting  online  jihadist  propaganda  produced  in  and/or  addressed  to  the  Western 

12 

 
 
Balkan  region.  Montenegro is  contributing to  the EU strategic  reports.  For the SOCTA 
2021, Montenegro provided data on eight crime areas and six organised crime groups.  

Montenegro  has  a  well-established  cooperation  with  Eurojust,  including  two  Eurojust 
contact  points  in  the  country  and  a  Liaison  Prosecutor  posted  at  Eurojust.  In  2020, 
Montenegro was involved in 22 cases at Eurojust, a 57% increase compared to 2019 (14 
cases)  and  participated  in  two  coordination  meetings.  Montenegro  was  not  involved  in 
any  coordination  centre  or  JIT.  These  cases  related  mainly  to  organised  crime,  money 
laundering and drug trafficking. 

As regards cooperation with Member States in the field of security, Bulgaria continued to 
exchange  information  on  persons  involved  in  drug  trafficking,  smuggling  and  illegal 
production of cigarettes, as well as money laundering and participated in a joint police-
customs operation coordinated by Europol to counter the illegal trafficking of weapons, 
drugs migrants and the use of forged documents.  

Germany provided capacity building assistance to the Montenegrin police in the form of 
vehicles, language courses, surveillance equipment, IT equipment, and analysis software. 
In  addition,  a  bilateral  agreement  between  Italy  and  Montenegro  for  the  exchange  and 
mutual  protection  of  classified  information  (signed  in  Podgorica  in  2015)  entered  into 
force  in  August  2020.  The  Netherlands  cooperated  with  Montenegro  on  mutual  legal 
assistance activities.   

A  number  of  activities  were  also  carried  out  in  the  framework  of  the  European 
Multidisciplinary Platform  Against Criminal  Threats  (EMPACT), including joint  action 
days  coordinated  by  the  agency  for  the  fight  against  serious  and  organised  crime, 
EMPACT  and  the  Operational  Action  Plan  ‘Facilitation  of  Illegal  Immigration’  on  the 
territory  of  Montenegro.  This  included  operations  that  prevented  the  smuggling  of  52 
migrants  from  Turkey  at  sea,  the  seizure  of  10  vehicles,  the  detection  of  three  forged 
documents  and  300.8  kg  of  cut  tobacco  and  the  prevention  of  210  irregular  border 
crossings. 

On  protection  of  personal  data,  major  challenges  remain  in  consolidating  the  legal  and 
institutional  frameworks,  including  internal  control  mechanisms  and  supervision  of  the 
processing  of  and  access  to  personal  information.  Montenegro  has  not  yet  signed  or 
ratified  the  2018  Protocol  amending  the  Convention  for  the  Protection  of  Individuals 
with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data. 

4.  Republic of North Macedonia  

4.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken  in the area  of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission 

As  regards  asylum  procedures,  the  Republic  of  North  Macedonia  has  taken  actions  to 
provide  asylum  seekers  with  interpretation  during  the  interviews,  using  international 
organisations’  databases.  A  new  case  management  tool  for  processing  asylum 
applications  is  also  being  developed,  and  is  currently  in  its  final  testing  phase.  While 
North  Macedonia  currently has four operational  reception centres and reports sufficient 

13 

 
 
 
reception  capacity,  the  EU  will  support  the  construction  of  a  new  reception  centre  in 
accordance with EU standards. The construction started in April 2021 with IPA support. 

Cooperation with Frontex takes place in several areas, including operational cooperation, 
situational  awareness  and  monitoring,  return,  investigation  and  innovations,  and  other 
training activities. While the COVID-19 pandemic changed the manner of cooperation on 
joint  operations,  cooperation  in  the  area  of  situational  awareness  (risk  analysis,  regular 
exchange  of  information  and  data)  continued  without  difficulty,  while  training  courses 
took place via videoconference.  

Cooperation  with  EASO  included  training  for  inclusion,  interviewing  techniques  for 
vulnerable  categories,  distance  interviewing  and  information  exchange.  After  the  first 
roadmap  for  cooperation  with  North  Macedonia  ended  in  2019,  a  new  roadmap  (2020-
2022) was prepared and endorsed at the end of 2020 and EASO has recently started its 
implementation.  

As regards operational cooperation with Member States, Austria engages in surveillance 
activities  together  with  local  police  forces  and  international  operational  forces  at  North 
Macedonia’s border with Greece in the course of control measures along the green border 
in  the  control  area  of  the  Regional  Command.  Austria  contributes  with  up  to  20 
operational officers (two contingents), equipped with a thermal imaging vehicle, mobile 
thermal  imaging  devices,  all-terrain  vehicles,  as  well  as  analog  optical  means  of 
operation.  Other  areas  of  cooperation  include  weekly  and  case-related  reporting  on 
situation  and  developments  in  the  host  country  as  well  as  transmission  of  border  and 
migration-related information (for example as regards apprehensions, smuggling routes, 
and the implementation of the status agreement).  

Croatia  provides  continuous  bilateral  support  to  North  Macedonia  in  the  area  of 
migration. Within the frame of this bilateral support, eight contingents with 41 Croatian 
Border  Police  officers  were  deployed  in  North  Macedonia  during  2020.  Germany 
provided  equipment  for  border  surveillance  and  deployed  a  liaison  officer  to  North 
Macedonia.  However,  the  planned  training  measures  could  not  take  place  due  to  the 
COVID-19  pandemic.  Hungary  deployed  10  contingents  with  a  total  of  300  police 
officers to carry out border surveillance tasks with North Macedonia.  

The  Netherlands  provided  capacity-building  support  to  prevent  migrant  smuggling,  as 
well as to prevent and respond to challenges related to violent extremism and returnees 
from  conflict  zones,  in  the  framework  of  IOM  assistance.  Romania  participated  in 
Frontex  operational  activities  by  providing  two  seconded  national  experts.  Slovakia 
organised  two  deployments,  each  of  nine  police  officers,  based  on  bilateral  agreements 
with North Macedonia.  

4.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission  

The number of applications for international protection by citizens of North Macedonia  
continued to decrease. In 2020, Germany continued to be the most affected Member State 
receiving  the  highest  number  of  applications  for  international  protection  (59%  of  the 
total), followed by France (21%) and Belgium (6.5%). 

14 

 
 
Relating to the number of refusals of entry, Hungary (32%), Slovenia (17%) and Croatia 
(13%) reported most cases in 2020. Besides the lack of appropriate documents to justify 
the purpose and conditions of stay (28%), travellers from North Macedonia were mostly 
refused entry for posing a risk to public policy, internal security or  public health (26%,  
stemming  partly  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic),  for  having  already  stayed  on  the 
national territory of Member States for the permitted 90-day stay (19%).  

As regards the number of nationals of North Macedonia found to be irregularly staying, 
in  2020,  similarly  to  2019,  Germany  was  the  most  affected  Member  State  (41%), 
followed by Hungary (31%) and Slovenia (11%). 

Germany  (29%  of  the  total),  France  (18.5%)  and  Austria  (9%)  reported  most  return 
decisions  of  nationals  of  North  Macedonia  in  2020.  As  regards  effective  returns,  2020 
marked  a  substantial  decrease  in  returns  of  nationals  of  North  Macedonia  (-53%). 
Germany  reported  most  of  the  returns  (44%),  followed  by  Austria  (14%)  and  Sweden 
(9%). 

4.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

As regards the fight against organised crime, most of the dismantled organised criminal 
groups were involved in drugs trafficking. Three criminal groups were also found to be 
involved in migrants smuggling, and three organised criminal groups were detected in the 
area of preventing corruption, with criminal charges filed against 14 natural persons and 
two legal entities. 

North Macedonia developed a national interoperability platform with EU support (EUR 
2.35 million for consultancy services, software, hardware and training). The system aims 
to  improve  the  information  technology  infrastructure  in  the  institutions  in  the  area  of 
justice  and  home  affairs.  It  provides  interconnection  of  the  information  systems  of  the 
institutions and automated and secured data exchange.  

As regards the fight against corruption, in February 2020, the Public Prosecutor of North 
Macedonia  adopted  a  rulebook  on  operational  organisation  and  procedures  in  the 
investigation  centres  and  a  decision  on  the  selection  of  16  investigators  in  the  four 
investigative centres.  

During 2020, the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, through the platform for 
electronic training, conducted training courses for judges and public prosecutors users of 
the platform, on topics of fight against organised crime and corruption. 

In order to improve the monitoring of anti-corruption policy, North Macedonia acquired 
a  new  software  to  harmonise  the  collection  of  statistical  data  on  prevention  and  fight 
against  corruption.  A  memorandum  was  also  signed  on  the  use  of  the  system  for 
collection  and  processing  of  statistical  data  for  prevention  and  repression  of  corruption 
and money laundering. 

As regards  citizenship by  investment,  North  Macedonia reported that  103 persons have 
acquired citizenship on the basis of economic interest  in  accordance with Article 11 of 
the  Law  on  Citizenship,  out  of  a  total  of  141  decisions  concerning  special  economic 
interest. Applications of 38 persons were rejected.  

15 

 
 
As regards the fight against terrorism, North Macedonia continued to make progress on 
the  Implementing Arrangements  between the European Commission  and the authorities 
of  North  Macedonia  in  the  framework  of  the  Joint  Action  Plan  for  the  Fight  Against 
Terrorism  in  the  Western  Balkans.  The  Second  progress  report  was  submitted  in 
December  2020.  It  is  crucial  that  North  Macedonia  continues  with  the  efforts  on 
preventing radicalisation leading to violent extremism and terrorism (P-CVE), including 
on the management of returning FTFs and their family members. 

With the amendment of the rulebook on systematisation of work posts in the Ministry of 
Interior  and  the  Decree  for  the  organisation  and  work  of  the  Ministry  of  Interior  of  22 
October 2019, a new Sector for fight against terrorism, violent extremism and radicalism 
was established in the Ministry6, where an operational application for secure exchange of 
information (SIENA) was established and, according to the Ministry, has already given 
results.  

With  regard  to  the  implementation  of  the  identified  priorities  for  preventing  violent 
extremism  and  radicalisation,  a  National  Plan  for  reintegration,  resocialisation  and 
rehabilitation  of  foreign  fighters,  returnees  and  members  of  their  families  (women  and 
children) was adopted. Additionally, actions were taken in order to strengthen the local 
capacities for fighting national extremism. In 2020, several activities were also organised 
to strengthen the capacity of the penitentiary system to treat radicalised convicts, under a 
project implemented by the Office of the Council of Europe in Skopje. 

Additionally,  campaigns,  public  debates  and  training  for  the  civil  society  sector  were 
organised  in  order  to  raise  awareness  about  the  radicalisation  risk,  especially  among 
young people. North Macedonia also participated in the Referral Action Day7 organised 
by the Europol Internet Referral Unit, in cooperation with the German Federal Criminal 
Police Office.  

As  regards  cooperation  with  Europol,  North  Macedonia  actively  contributes  to  the 
Europol  Information  System,  in  particular  for  crimes  linked  to  terrorism.  North 
Macedonia participates in Europol’s Analysis Projects in the area of environmental crime 
and migrant smuggling as well as in two cybercrime areas, one related to cyber-attacks 
on  information  systems  and  one  on  non-payment  card  frauds.  North  Macedonia  is  not 
part of the Europol Analysis Project Dark web.  

North  Macedonia  is  considered  a  reliable  partner  on  counter-terrorism  matters  by 
Europol. Authorities of North Macedonia shared with Europol their list of FTFs, granting 
permission  to  share  it  with  other  Member  and  the  updates  were  received  regularly. 
Moreover, in 2020 North Macedonia established a new counter-terrorism unit within the 
police and the SIENA connection was rolled out to this unit. Additionally, on 6 October 
2020  North  Macedonia  participated  in  a  referral  action  day  targeting  online  jihadist 
propaganda  produced  in  and/or  addressing  to  the  Western  Balkan  region  and 

6  The  new  sector  is  comprised  of  two  task  forces:  Task  force  for  investigations  on  terrorism,  violent 
extremism  and  radicalism  comprised  of  two  units  (Unit  for  investigations  for  terrorism  and  Unit  for 
prevention of violent extremism and radicalism) and Task Force for detecting and dismantling of explosive 
means and devices. 

7  The  action,  organised  on  2  July  2020,  focused  on  the  curriculum  promoted  or  shared  on  the  Internet        
among the networks supporting terrorism, including jihadists, right wing and left wing terrorist networks. 

16 

 
 
                                                      
disseminated  in  the  languages  of  the  Western  Balkan  countries.  North  Macedonia  is 
contributing  to  EU  strategic  reports.  For  the  SOCTA  2021,  North  Macedonia  provided 
data on thirty-one crime areas and nine organised crime groups. 

North  Macedonia  continues  to  have  good  cooperation  with  Eurojust,  through  a  liaison 
prosecutor  posted  to  Eurojust  and  five  contact  points.  In  2020,  North  Macedonia  was 
involved in a total of 36 cases at Eurojust and participated in three coordination meetings. 
This represents a 38% increase compared to 2019, when the country was involved in 26 
cases and one coordination meeting. These cases related mainly to swindling and fraud, 
money laundering and drug trafficking.  In 2020, North  Macedonia was not  involved in 
any coordination centre or JIT supported by Eurojust.  

As regards cooperation with Member States in the field of security, Bulgaria continued to 
exchange  information  on  persons  involved  in  drug  trafficking,  smuggling  and  illegal 
production  of  cigarettes  and  money  laundering.  It  also  participated  in  a  joint  police-
customs operation coordinated by Europol to counter the illegal trafficking of weapons, 
drugs,  migrants  and  the  use  of  forged  documents.  France  provided  training  courses  for 
police officers in North Macedonia including on detection of false documents and on the 
Schengen acquis. Germany provided capacity building assistance to the police of North 
Macedonia in the form of vehicles, language training courses, surveillance equipment, IT 
equipment  and  analysis  software.  North  Macedonia  and  Germany  also  ratified  an 
agreement on the fight against organised crime.  

Hungary  participated  in  two  trilateral  conferences  with  North  Macedonia  and  Serbia 
involving the law enforcement agencies of the respective countries and with the support 
of  the  Organisation  for  Security  and  Cooperation  in  Europe  (OSCE).  The  Netherlands 
engaged in a number of operational activities with North Macedonia, including activities 
and training courses aimed at strengthening the resilience of local communities to violent 
extremism, anti-corruption trainings. The Netherlands also contributed to monitoring the 
work  of  the  constitutional  court  in  its  evaluation  of  judges,  monitoring  public 
procurements  etc.  The  Netherlands  and  North  Macedonia  also  conducted  mutual  legal 
assistance activities.  

North Macedonia reports that cooperation in the fight against organised crime during the 
COVID-19 pandemic focused mainly on information exchange. The highest numbers of 
information  exchanges  took  place  with  Austria  (50),  followed  by  Switzerland  (47), 
Germany (38), France 25, Sweden (20), Slovenia (17), Italy (16), Bulgaria (15), Croatia 
(14),  Belgium  (9),  Netherlands  (9),  Greece  (6),  Slovakia  (6),  Malta  (4),  Spain  (4), 
Norway  (3),  Romania  (3),  Poland  (2)  and  one  case  with  Latvia,  Luxembourg,  Portugal 
and San Marino. 

To  increase  the  efficiency  of  information  exchange,  contacts  were  established  with  the 
Swiss  and  Dutch  police  services  with  which  joint  actions  were  initiated.  An  online 
platform was  also  established to  allow experts and civil  society to  share information  in 
the area of prevention and countering violent extremism. 

North  Macedonia  has  made  progress  in  the  field  of  data  protection.  The  Assembly 
adopted  the  new  Law  on  Personal  Data  Protection,  which  entered  into  force  on  24 
February 2020. In 2020, the Agency for Personal Data Protection issued 14 opinions on 

17 

 
 
legislative  proposals,  74  guidance  notes,  opinions  and  notifications  to  data  controllers 
and processors8. In 2020, the Agency received 297 complaints, imposed three fines, and 
conducted  128  supervisions.  North  Macedonia  has  signed  but  not  yet  ratified  the  2018 
Protocol  amending  the  Convention  for  the  Protection  of  Individuals  with  regard  to  the 
Automatic Processing of Personal Data of the Council of Europe. 

5.  Republic of Serbia 

5.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken  in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission 

The  Republic  of  Serbia  has  continued  to  implement  the  2017-2020  integrated  border 
management strategy and the corresponding action plan. Trainings have taken place since 
May 2020 on standard operating procedures for the profiling and registration of irregular 
migrants.  

Serbia  has  signed  protocols  with  Hungary,  Romania,  Bulgaria,  Croatia,  North 
Macedonia,  Montenegro  and  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina.  Mixed/joint  patrols  have  been 
established  with  most  neighbouring  countries.  Patrol  activities  have  been  performed  on 
the basis of agreed work orders in which specific tasks were determined, in accordance 
with the Agreement on Police Cooperation, and adjusted to the current security situation. 
The  patrol  activity  was  performed  by  two  members  of  the  border  police  of  both 
contracting parties.  

In  2020,  a  total  of  338  joint  patrols  were  carried  out  with  police  officers  from 
neighbouring countries, of which 162 patrols on the territory of Serbia. However, due to 
the  COVID-19  pandemic,  the  implementation  of  joint  patrols  with  neighbouring 
countries  has  been  suspended  since  March  2020.  The  continuation  of  cooperation 
through  the  implementation  of  joint  patrols  is  expected  immediately  after  the 
epidemiological situation stabilises. 

Common  Contact  Centres  have  also  been  established  with  the  following  countries: 
Hungary,  Croatia,  Bulgaria,  Romania,  North  Macedonia  and  Trilateral  Centre  with 
Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.   

In order to provide assistance to Serbia in the context of the migration crisis towards the 
Republic  of  Bulgaria,  the  EU  funded  a  programme  managed  by  the  IOM.  The 
programme,  which  is  implemented  since  2016,  includes  capacity  building  activities 
relating  to  state  border  surveillance,  prevention  of  migrant  smuggling  and  cross-border 
crime  with  full  respect  for  the  rule  of  law  and  human  rights. So  far,  a  total  of  147 
international police contingents with a total of 1 472 police officers have been engaged 
and 11 210 patrols have been conducted.  

8 Relating to the exchange and usage of data, anonymisation of personal data before publication, privacy 
policies  and  cookies,  privacy  impact  assessments,  external  audits,  preparation  of  procedures  and 
policies for security of personal data according to the obligations of the new Law on the protection of 
personal data. 

18 

 
 
 
                                                      
In  addition,  one  contingent  of  the  Austrian  police  with  six  police  officers  is  currently 
engaged  on  the  state  border  with  North  Macedonia,  based  on  the  Memorandum  of 
Cooperation between the Ministry of Interior of Serbia and the Ministry of Interior of the 
Republic of Austria.  

Serbia has also  taken  actions to  develop  a mechanism to  monitor migration  flows. The 
2019 migration profile was adopted in 2020. Additionally, a monitoring matrix has been 
developed and will be published in the 2020 migration profile. Efforts were also made to 
increase  the  administrative  capacities  of  the  authority  competent  for  migration,  asylum 
and refugees.  

Between  May  and  December  2020,  a  total  of  177  police  officers  completed  a  training 
course  on  integrated  border  management.  Additionally,  due  to  the  increased  migratory 
pressure on the Hungarian border, one workstation was installed in November 2020 at a 
border  crossing point in  order to better check and register migrants.  The  Border Police 
Directorate in 2020 engaged additional capacities for state border control in cooperation 
with neighbouring countries (Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Bosnia 
and Herzegovina). 

The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration is preparing a new rulebook on material 
reception  conditions  of  asylum  seekers  following  EASO  guidelines.  Serbia  reports  that 
the  infrastructure  for  the  reception  of  asylum  seekers  is  being  improved  and  that  the 
accommodation  capacities  of  asylum  seekers  are  sufficient.  Special  attention  is  paid  to 
the identification of vulnerable categories, for which the law provides special guarantees. 
The  Commissariat  is  implementing  the  Asylum  Integration  Support  Program  with  the 
support  of  UNHCR  and  is  strengthening  the  capacity  to  implement  assisted  voluntary 
return programmes with IOM.  

On  30  April  2020,  Serbia  adopted  the  2020  response  plan  on  reception  conditions  of 
asylum seekers. The plan envisages the provision of adequate assistance to migrants and 
asylum  seekers  (including  housing,  food,  hygiene,  health  care,  social  protection  and 
access  to  education),  support  to  local  communities  affected  by  the  large  influx  of 
migrants,  as  well  as  protection  of  the  state  border.  It  covers  security,  fight  against 
trafficking  of  human  beings,  voluntary  return  and  return  programmes  for  irregular 
migrants and for persons who are not granted asylum. In September 2020, the Ministry of 
Interior  adopted  instructions  on  standard  operating  procedures  for  the  treatment  of 
irregular migrants and foreigners who express their intention to apply for asylum. Serbia 
reports that the application of these procedures has improved the registration of irregular 
migrants and the monitoring of trends, and has enabled more efficient return procedures.  

A 2019-2020 training programme of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration and a 
tool  to  facilitate  the  monitoring  of  conducted  training  have  been  developed.  Training 
activities  established  and  carried  out  in  2020  included  introductory  courses  to  all  new 
staff,  training  for  police  officers  on  the  implementation  of  the  law  on  asylum  and 
temporary protection, a workshop on new software for the monitoring of accommodation 
conditions  and  services  provided  in  reception  centres,  and  courses  in  cooperation  with 
UNICEF and IOM.   

In addition to the funds allocated by Serbia in 2020 for the reintegration of returnees, EU 
support  has  been  provided  through  IPA  funding.  Activities  to  raise  awareness  and 

19 

 
 
promote  tolerance  and  multiculturalism  were  also  organised  in  migrant-receiving 
communities. 

In  accordance  with  the  regulation  on  establishing  the  programme  of  assisted  voluntary 
return for foreigners for the period 2019 - 2021, the law on budget finances the provision 
of regular information and identification of potential returnees, with the support of IOM 
and IPA II. The number of assisted voluntary returns (67) was however limited in 2020 
due travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

As  regards  cooperation  with  Frontex,  the  ‘status  agreement’  ratified  in  February  2021 
provides  the  legal  ground  for  return  operations  coordinated  by  Frontex,  within  which 
returns  from  one  or  more  Member  States  to  Serbia  take  place  in  accordance  with  the 
readmission agreement.  

The  2020-2022  EASO  roadmap  for  cooperation  with  Serbia  was  endorsed  in  October 
2020 and EASO has started its implementation. The roadmap envisages training courses 
for  police  officers  of  the  Asylum  Office  and  the  Commissariat  for  Refugees  and 
Migration, as well as the development of an action plan that would serve for monitoring 
and evaluating the national asylum system. Joint projects have also been implemented to 
transfer  asylum  practice  to  the  national  asylum  system.  In  this  regard,  various 
coordination mechanisms have been established at national level. For example, as part of 
an IPA regional project, asylum officers attended training courses for trainers organised 
by  EASO  on  inclusion  in  the  right  to  asylum  and  interview  techniques,  including  as 
regards asylum seekers belonging to vulnerable categories.    

Serbia  has  engaged  in  joint  activities  with  Austria,  the  Czech  Republic,  France, 
Germany,  Hungary,  Lithuania, the  Netherlands,  Romania, Slovenia and  Sweden.  In the 
area  of  border  management  Austria  provided  assistance  with  both  equipment  and 
personnel  to  carry  out  border  surveillance  activities.  The  Czech  Republic  provides  ‘on 
site  assistance’  to  Serbia,  aimed  at  assisting  asylum  seekers  in  the  asylum  process  in 
Serbia and supporting integration measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically 
for non-accompanied minors.  

France  provided  expertise  to  the  Belgrade  airport  as  regards  the  fight  against  irregular 
migration and the application of restrictive measures implemented in  the context of the 
COVID-19  pandemic.  Germany  provided  equipment  for  border  surveillance  and 
deployed  a  liaison  officer  to  North  Macedonia.  Experience  exchanges  at  management 
level also took place; however, the planned training measures could not take place due to 
the COVID-19 pandemic. Hungary deployed 100 police officers for activities addressing 
irregular migration. Romania carried out 97 missions and three joint investigations with 
Serbia  in  2020  and  engages  in  information  exchanges  with  Serbia  at  both  regional  and 
local level.  

Additionally,  a  Twinning  Project  to  support  the  strengthening  of  migration  and  asylum 
management  in  Serbia  is  ongoing,  in  collaboration  with  Sweden,  the  Netherlands  and 
Slovenia. The aim of the project is to strengthen Serbia’s capacity to align and implement 
its asylum policy with international and EU standards. A twinning project also started in 
March 2020 to support Serbia’s preparation to participate in the EUROSUR network and 
the  EURODAC  system.  The  project  is  being  implemented  by  Sweden  and  Lithuania. 
Operational  cooperation  and  exchange  of  information  with  neighbouring  countries  and 
EU  Member  States  also  takes  place  in  the  context  of the  Task  Force  Western  Balkans. 

20 

 
 
Some  planned  activities  had  to  be  deferred  or  were  of  a  lower  volume  compared  to 
previous years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Within  the  project  “Support  to  the  information  management,  communication  and 
planning  capacity  in  addressing  the  migration  management  challenges”,  Serbia  has 
developed a tool for the regular monitoring of accommodation and reception, as well as 
for the improvement of coordination mechanisms and management of reception facilities 
in accordance with the EASO guidance.  

Additionally,  in  order  to  establish  electronic  data  exchange  via  the  Eurodac  system,  a 
twinning  project  was  launched  in  March  2020,  in  the  context  of  the  second  phase  of 
harmonisation  of  national  legislation  with  EU  instruments  in  the  field  of  asylum.  It 
included  activities  related  to  the  existing  legislative  national  framework,  a  curriculum 
development plan to train officials working in the Eurodac system, as well as a proposal 
to amend the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection. 

5.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission  

The  number  of  applications  for  international  protection  by  Serbian  nationals  has  been 
decreasing since 2014. Germany remained the Member State9 with the highest number of 
applications lodged (45% of the total), followed by France (34%) and Belgium (5%).  

As regards refusals of entry of Serbian nationals, Hungary was the most affected country, 
reporting half of the total cases in 2020, followed by Croatia (21%) and Slovenia (9%). 
The  main  reasons  for  refusing  entry  related  to  lack  of  appropriate  documentation 
justifying the purpose and conditions of stay (33%); the maximum stay of 90-days in a 
180-day  period  in  Member  States  had  already  been  reached  (22%)  or  a  risk  to  public 
policy, internal security or public health (18%), partly due to  the COVID-19 pandemic.  

As  regards  the  number  of  Serbian  nationals  found  to  be  irregularly  staying,  Hungary 
(49%)  and  Germany  (27%)  were  the  most  affected  countries  in  2020,  followed  by 
Austria (8%).  

In  2020,  Germany  (24%),  Austria  (19%)  and  France  (18%)  ordered  most  returns  of 
Serbian  nationals.  The  number  of  the  effective  returns  decreased  considerably  (-38%) 
with Austria (34.5%), Germany (29%) and France (7%) who returned to third countries 
most of the Serbian nationals. 

5.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

Serbia  continued  implementing  the  2017-2022  strategy  for  the  prevention  and  the  fight 
against trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, and the protection of 
victims. The Centre for Protection of the victims of human trafficking works in reduced 
capacity. The shelter segment of the centre is not functional since August 2020, lacking 
the  necessary  licence.  Currently,  only  a  shelter  managed  by  civil  society  organisations 

9 See footnote 2. 

21 

 
 
                                                      
provides support to women and girls. Although legally possible, compensation to victims 
is rarely granted. In addition, there is not an official set of indicators to identify victims.  

In  March  2021,  the  Constitutional  Court  passed  a  landmark  decision  in  a  case  of 
trafficking  of  human  beings  submitted  by  Astra,  a  non-governmental  organisation.  The 
court  found  that  Serbia  had  violated  its  obligation  to  protect  victims  of  trafficking  by 
providing  measures  of  prevention,  registration  and  assistance  to  such  persons;  and  to 
conduct a proper investigation and ensuring respect of the right to fair trial.  

A  working  arrangement  between  the  Serbian  Office  for  Combatting  Drugs  and  the 
EMCDDA  was  signed  in  December  2020.  The  Serbian  National  Drug  Observatory, 
located  in  the  Ministry  of  Health,  is  fully  staffed  and  operational.  There  is  good 
cooperation  with  the  European  Network  of  Forensic  Science  Institutes  (ENFSI).  The 
accreditation  of  the  National  Forensics  Centre  (NCKF)  was  confirmed  during  the 
supervisory visit of the Accreditation Body of Serbia in September 2020. A rulebook on 
the  work  of  the  national  contact  point  for  the  transmission  and  analysis  of  samples  of 
psychoactive  controlled  substances  was  adopted  in  December  2020,  but  the  national 
contact point is not yet established.  

An  application  for  keeping  records  and  statistics  on  seized  drugs,  designed  by  the 
Ministry of Interior, is operational since January 2021. The software application allows 
daily  updates  on  quantities  of  seized  drugs,  ensures  internal  e-communication  with 
National Forensic Centre so that data registered besides quantity have info on quality of 
seized  drugs  as  well.  The  application  is  accompanied  by  the  procedure  that  unifies 
actions  of  all  the  services  of  the  Ministry  of  Interior  dealing  with  drugs.  Security  bags 
were introduced in January 2021 to prevent tempering with collected evidence. The bag 
can  be  resealed  only  by  expert  witnesses  working  on  the  seized  sample.  Currently 
samples are stored in one of the five containers with regulated conditions; the aim is to 
no longer have seized drugs kept at different police stations or location.  

On 1 September 2020, the new law on prevention of corruption entered into force and is 
currently being implemented. 

An  analysis  for  IT  and  statistical  gaps  and  needs  in  the  area  of  judicial  cooperation 
criminal  matters,  covering  also  judicial  cooperation  in  civil  matters,  was  finalised.  No 
progress  was  made  in  the  revision  of  a  set  of  different  laws  on  judicial  cooperation, 
including the existing law on judicial cooperation in criminal matters with EU countries. 
Additionally,  during  the  reporting  period,  Serbia  continued  to  both  receive  and  send 
requests for judicial cooperation, which increased in the second half of 2020 compared to 
the first half.  

As regards the fight against terrorism, Serbia has submitted its second progress report on 
the  implementation  of  the  Joint  action  Plan  on  Counter  Terrorism  with  the  Western 
Balkans.  Serbia  adopted  laws  on  critical  infrastructure  and  on  the  amendment  of  the 
criminal  code.  Further  progress  is  needed  on  the  actions  agreed  under  the  bilateral 
Implementing Arrangements  signed in  2019  for the implementation  of the Joint Action 
Plan. More efforts are needed on preventing radicalisation leading to all forms of violent 
extremism  and  terrorism.  Serbia  is  part  of  the  Western  Balkan  Counter  Terrorism 
initiative and exchanges information with Europol and Member States. 

22 

 
 
 
Cooperation with Eurojust continued on the basis of the cooperation agreement signed in 
December 2019. Based on the agreement, a Serbian liaison prosecutor took office on 10 
March  2020.  In  2020,  there  was  a  65%  increase  in  the  number  of  cases  with  the 
involvement  of  Serbia  in  Eurojust  (66  cases  compared  to  40  cases  in  2019).  Serbia 
participated in 10 coordination meetings and two coordination centers, and continued to 
be  involved  in  three  JITs  that  had  been  signed  in  previous  years.  These  cases  related 
primarily to organised crime, money laundering, swindling and fraud. 

As  regards  cooperation  with  Europol,  Serbia    ,  the  exchange  of  information  in  the 
number of SIENA messages has increased during the past  three  years.  The Ministry of 
Interior  of  Serbia  continuously  exchanges  information  related  to  investigations  at 
national,  regional  and  international  level  with  all  Western  Balkan  partners.  Serbia  is 
currently engaged on 16 analysis projects covering online sexual exploitation of children, 
migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings, cyber-crime, drugs, fighting extremism, 
FTFs, counterfeiting, illicit firearms trafficking, environmental crime, property crime and 
pre-empting terrorist abuse of online tools.   

Serbia  shared  with  Europol  its  list  of  FTFs,  giving  permission  to  share  it  with  other 
Member  States  and  updates  are  received  regularly.  On  6  October  2020,  Serbia 
participated  in  a  referral  action  day  targeting  online  jihadist  propaganda  produced  in 
and/or addressed to the Western Balkan region. Finally, there is a very good cooperation 
between  Europol  and  Serbia  in  the  field  of  tackling  organised  crime  groups,  firearms 
trafficking and organised property crime. Serbia is also contributing to the EU strategic 
reports including SOCTA.   

As regards operational cooperation with Member States in the field of security, Austria 
provided support in the preparation of legislation for fingerprinting and DNA collection 
as  well  as  training  for  the  Serbian  police  in  the  field  of  alpine  training.  Bulgaria 
continued  to  exchange  information  on  persons  involved  in  drug  trafficking,  smuggling 
and  illegal  production  of  cigarettes,  schemes  for  transfer  and  legalisation  of  funds 
deriving  from  criminal  activity  and  money  laundering.  Bulgaria  also  participated  in  a 
joint police-customs operation coordinated by Europol to counter the illegal trafficking of 
weapons,  drugs  migrants  and  the  use  of  forged  documents.  France  provided  a  two-day 
training course on detection of false documents in December 2020.  

Germany  provided  capacity  building  assistance  to  the  Serbian  police  in  the  form  of 
vehicles,  language  training  courses,  surveillance  equipment,  IT  equipment,  analysis 
software  and  other  equipment.  Hungary  participated  in  two  trilateral  conferences  with 
North  Macedonia  and  Serbia  involving  the  law  enforcement  agencies  of  the  respective 
countries  and  with  the  support  of  the  Organisation  for  Security  and  Cooperation  in 
Europe  (OSCE).  The  Netherlands  cooperated  with  Serbia  on  the  strengthening  of  law 
enforcement, and mutual legal assistance activities were conducted. The Netherlands also 
placed a bilateral liaison officer in Serbia. Romania participated in operational meetings 
and  exchanged  information  with  Serbia  on  a  number  of  areas  including  trafficking  in 
human beings, drug trafficking, cybercrime, smuggling, and terrorism.  

As  regards  data  protection,  in  May  2020  Serbia  ratified  the  Protocol  amending  the 
Convention  for  the  Protection  of  Individuals  with  regard  to  Automatic  Processing  of 
Personal Data. 

23 

 
 
 
6.  Activities and projects at regional level – Western Balkans 

6.1.  Integrated Border Management, Migration and Asylum  

At  the  regional  level,  in  the  Western  Balkans,  EASO  has  continued  to  implement  the 
second  phase  of  the  IPA  financed  Action  ‘Regional  Support  to  Protection-Sensitive 
Migration Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey’. Within this project, EASO 
contributes to improve identification, registration and referral of mixed migration flows, 
pre-screening and screening of nationalities, as well as enhancing asylum procedures, in 
particular  for  vulnerable  groups.  In  2020,  EASO  organised,  for  instance,  a  regional 
workshop  on  age  assessment,  three  regional  Train-the-Trainer  sessions  on  inclusion, 
interviewing  techniques  and  interviewing  vulnerable  persons,  and  facilitated  the 
participation  of  some  Western  Balkans  partners  in  an  on-line  workshop  on  remote 
personal interviewing.  

In  March  2020,  an  informal  permanent  round  table  (videoconferences  on  a  bi-monthly 
basis)  has  been  set  up  between  the  Border  Police  of  Italy,  Austria,  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina,  Croatia,  Hungary,  Montenegro,  North  Macedonia,  Serbia  and  Slovenia. 
The  initiative  mainly  aimed  at  fostering  the  exchange  of  information  on  measures  to 
counter the COVID-19 pandemic (border restrictions in particular), but it has additionally 
served as an informal forum of discussion on the regional migratory situation and on the 
impact  of  secondary  migration  flows  on  the  Balkan  route  for  each  of  the  participating 
countries.  

Regular  videoconferences,  set  following  the  leaders’  meeting  of  October  2015,  also 
continued  to  take  place.  The  videoconferences  are  chaired  by  the  Commission  and 
attended by  relevant  EU Agencies, concerned Member States, Western Balkan partners 
and  international  actors  who  share  data,  information  and  insight  on  a  particular  topic 
specified in advance by the Secretariat-General of the Commission. To provide context, 
the Agencies (Frontex, Europol, EASO) present updates with the current developments in 
their  respective  field  of  competence.  This  format  fosters  the  exchange  of  information 
with  the  EU  and  at  the  regional  level.  It  brings  added  value  to  all  participants  by 
contributing to better situational awareness and preparedness. 

6.2.  Public order and security  

All  Western  Balkans  partners  have  ratified  operational  agreements  with  Europol  and 
have  access  to  SIENA  and  to  the  Counter-terrorism  SIENA  (except  for  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina).  Albania,  North  Macedonia,  Serbia  and  Montenegro  have  posted  liaison 
officers  at  Europol  in  The  Hague.  These  officers  take  part  in  operational  meetings, 
coordinate  operations,  provide  advice  and  maintain  regular  contact  with  their  national 
experts concerning specific investigations. However, the success of their deployment at 
Europol depends on the support they receive from their own law enforcement authorities. 
In  2020  and  2021,  there  was  also  a  substantial  increase  in  the  number  of  Operational 
Action Plan/ actions the Western Balkan countries participated in.  

24 

 
 
 
In  September  2020,  in  the  framework  of  EMPACT,  joint  action  days  for  the  Western 
Balkans were conducted. 35 countries, including Western Balkan partners, participated in 
four days  of operational activities, with  the support  of Europol.  In accordance  with  the 
EMPACT  priorities,  the  aim  of  the  implementation  of  the  action  was  combatting  cross 
border  crime,  with  highlight  on  firearms  and  ammunition  trafficking,  drugs  trafficking 
and irregular migration.  More than 390 000 persons and 44 000 vehicles were checked 
during  the  four  joint  action  days. Approximately  14  million  searches  were  made  in  the 
Interpol database, which resulted in more than 5 000 matches. 

The IPA project “Countering Serious Crime in the Western Balkans” started in October 
2020. The overall objective of the action is to enhance the capacities of authorities in the 
Western  Balkans  to  fight  organised  crime  and  terrorism  including  preventing  and 
countering  violent  extremism  by  enhancing  cooperation  within  the  region  and  with  the 
EU agencies. 

The  Western  Balkan  Counter  Terrorism  initiative  provides  a  platform  for  neighbouring 
countries and EU Member States to exchange information, which is used by Europol in 
its  terrorist  threat  assessments.  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  is  implementing  the  joint  EU-
Western Balkans action plan on counter-terrorism. 

7.  Georgia 

7.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken  in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission  

The  EU  supported  the  development  and  implementation  of  the  law  on  exit  control  via 
Frontex,  TAIEX  programmes  and  the  following  EU-funded  projects:  PROMETHEUS 
(implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of France), ENIGMMA-2 (implemented 
by  the  International  Centre  for  Migration  Policy  Development  ICMPD)  and  SBMMG 
project (implemented by IOM). 

to 

the  Criminal  Code  were  also 

Amendments 
imposing  criminal 
responsibility  for  facilitation  of  irregular  stay  of  nationals  of  Georgia  in  the  foreign 
country and for the provision of false information when requesting asylum in a foreign 
country.  

introduced, 

Additionally, 38 Georgian Patrol Police officers were deployed from June 2019 to April 
2020  at  key  EU  Member  States  airports  to  assist  EU  Member  States  in  preventing  the 
entry  of  Georgian  nationals  who  do  not  meet  the  entry  criteria  as  stipulated  in  the 
Schengen acquis. However,the activity was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As regards reception facilities, in 2020, Georgia took measures to improve the quality of 
health-care  at  the  temporary  accommodation  centre  for  irregular  migrants,  including 
hiring additional physicians. Authorities provided assistance to the returned migrants and 
beneficiaries  of  international  protection  through  non-governmental  organisations.  On  1 
July  2020,  the  implementation  of  these  programmes  became  the  responsibility  of  a 
specialised agency under the Ministry of Interior.  

Georgia  continues  to  organise  information  campaigns  regarding  the  rights  and 
obligations  of  Georgian  nationals  travelling  to  the  EU.  Relevant  websites  providing 

25 

 
 
 
information  on  visa-free  travel  to  the  EU  have  been  brought  up  to  date  in  the  light  of 
recent legal  amendments regarding entry and exit from the territory. By June 2020, the 
authorities had distributed 861 000 copies of leaflets on visa free travel rules in EU (the 
campaign  started  in  spring  2016).  Information  is  also  available  via  the  Schengen/EU 
Mobile Application. 

In  2020,  Georgia  started  negotiations  for  readmission  agreements  with  Kyrgyzstan, 
Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom (following Brexit). The readmission agreement with 
Montenegro is ready for signature. 

As regards document security, Georgia issues biometric documents since April 2010.  As 
of 5 March 2021, the total number of active Georgian biometric passports and ID cards 
amounted respectively to  1 524 852 and 3 067 888. By 1 January  2021, the number of 
remaining valid non-biometric passports totalled 19 493. Georgia provides Interpol with 
information on annulled passports, travel documents of permanent residents in Georgia, 
service  passports  and  travel  documents  of  refugee  or  humanitarian  status  holders, 
including those lost, expired, changed, etc. Non-biometric passports will be fully phased 
out by 1 January 2025, when all non-biometric documents will expire. 

As  regards  cooperation  with  Member  States  in  the  field  of  migration  and  border 
management, Georgia cooperates with Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and France. 
Austria  carried  out  dialogues  with  Georgia  including  on  entry  requirements,  irregular 
medical  migration,  preparation  of  Frontex  charter  returns,  clarifications  regarding 
validity/authenticity  of  documents.  Belgium,  in  February  2020,  carried  out  training 
courses  and  organised  information  meetings  on  migration  and  prevention  activities  in 
Georgia.  In  September,  IOM  finalised  a  concept  note  on  a  Belgian-Georgian  Skills 
Mobility  Partnership.  The  Belgian  Immigration  Office  is  willing  to  co-finance  the 
project. Additionally, a Georgian Police Liaison is accredited in Belgium and the Belgian 
Police Liaison Officer in Istanbul is also responsible for Georgia.  

The Czech Republic reported development aid to Georgia in the healthcare sector, which 
is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  reasons  to  leave  the  country  by  asylum  seekers.  France 
continues  to  cooperate  with  Georgia  in  order  to  reduce  the  number  of  unfounded 
applications  for  international  protection  by  nationals  of  this  country.  A  French 
immigration officer is attached to Georgia State Security to help control the departures to 
France.  French  experts  are  also  deployed  in  Georgia  to  train  border  control  and 
immigration  staff.  Also,  three  Georgian  immigration  officers  are  deployed  in  France  to 
assist in immigration controls. Germany provided training to Georgian border guards. 

Frontex  and  Member  States  report  in  general  good  cooperation  on  returns  and 
readmission. For example, Austria reported that, even during COVID-19 crisis, charters 
were  organised  regularly,  under  adequate  sanitary  conditions.  Several  Member  States 
welcomed  the  good  cooperation  with  Georgia  as  regards  the  use  of  return  flights.  In 
2020,  Frontex  did  not  receive  any  requests  of  support  from  Member  States  in  the 
identification  and  acquisition  of  travel  documents  for  Georgian  nationals  affected  by  a 
return decision. According to Frontex, this indicates a satisfactory implementation of the 
EU readmission Agreement in place.  

26 

 
 
 
 
7.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission   

After  four  years  of  increase,  the  number  of  applications  for  international  protection 
decreased  by  60%  in  2020.  France  was  the  most  affected  EU  Member  State  recording 
29% of the applications for international protection lodged by Georgian nationals, closely 
followed by Germany (28%) and Greece (10%).  

The  decrease  in  refusals  of  entry  of  Georgian  nationals  is  a  likely  result  of  travel 
restrictions,  resulting  from  COVID-19  pandemic.  In  2020,  Poland  (20%),  Germany 
(13%) and Bulgaria (12%) reported most of the cases. The refusals were largely issued 
on the basis of lack of proper documents that justified the purpose and conditions of stay 
(31%), to the traveller being a person for whom an alert had been issued in the SIS or in 
the national register for the purposes of refusing entry (26%) or to travellers posing a risk 
to public policy, internal security or public health (23%). 

As  regards  irregular  stayers  from  this  country,  despite  the  decrease  in  relation  to  2019 
figures, 2020 marked the second year on record with the highest number of detections of 
irregular stayers in the Schengen Area. Germany reported 37% of the irregular stays of 
Georgian nationals, followed by France (19%) and Greece (11%). 

The  number  of  return  decisions  in  2020  was  the  second  highest  ever  reported  by  EU 
Member States10, indicating  an overall upward trend for this  indicator.  In 2020, France 
(38%), Germany (15%) and Greece (10%) had the highest share of decision orders at EU 
level. 

Despite the decrease in effective returns (-33%) brought about partly by the effects of the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  an  assessment  of  the  evaluation  of  effective  returns  of  Georgian 
nationals  over a longer timeframe suggests that the trend may  continue to  rise over the 
next  few  years.  As  regards  effective  returns,  in  2020,  Germany  reported  most  of  the 
returns of Georgian nationals (25%), followed by France (18%) and Greece (12.5%).  

7.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

As  regards  the  fight  against  organised  crime,  on  19  December  2020,  the  Parliament  of 
Georgia  adopted  a  legislative  package  amending  the  law  on  operative-search  activities 
and related legislation. The amendment provides the law enforcement agencies with the 
authority to replace (partially or entirely) possible evidence with pre-marked and/or fake 
(simulated)  item,  document,  substance  or  object  during  the  process  of  controlled 
delivery. Additionally, the definition of controlled delivery was based on the definition in 
the  UN  Convention  on  Transnational  Organised  Crime.  Per  the  amendment,  the  law 
enforcement agencies will be able to carry out purchase or simulation of services during 
controlled  delivery.  In  addition,  the  law  enforcement  agencies  will  be  able  to  simulate 
purchase of human beings, or any unlawful transactions in relation to them.  

10 See footnote 2. 

27 

 
 
                                                      
On  1  January  2020,  an  integrated  Public  Safety  Command  Center  “112”  became 
operational, as a result of the merging of separate command and communication centers. 
The new center coordinates crime prevention, emergency response and road safety.   

With the support of the EU Technical  Assistance Project  - Promoting the Fight  against 
Organised Crime, the Academy of Georgia’s Ministry of Interior received accreditation 
by the international  standardization organization (ISO). Training modules and curricula 
were  upgraded  and  modernised  with  the  support  of  the  programme  EU  Action  against 
Drugs  and  Organised  Crime.  Community-oriented  policing  was  supported  by  the  EU-
funded programme Technical Assistance to Support the Fight against Organised Crime. 

By 2020, Georgia had deployed police attachés in 16 partner countries (including 11 EU 
Member  States)  covering  24  countries  (including  19  EU  and  Schengen  Associated 
States): Austria (also covering Hungary), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium (liaison 
officer to NATO, also covering Luxemburg), Czech Republic, France, Greece, Germany, 
Italy, Netherlands (liaison officer to Europol), Poland (also covering Estonia, Latvia and 
Lithuania),  Spain,  Sweden  (also  covering  Denmark,  Norway  and  Finland),  Turkey 
(currently vacant) and Ukraine. Police attachés/liaison officers are deployed in  Georgia 
from Austria, Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the US. 

Georgia  has  concluded  international  agreements  or  memoranda  of  understanding  on 
cooperation in the  field  of combatting  crime  and police  cooperation with the following 
countries:  Armenia,  Austria,  Azerbaijan,  Belarus,  Bulgaria,  China,  Czech  Republic, 
Egypt,  Estonia,  Fiji,  France,  Germany,  Greece,  Hungary,  Israel,  Italy,  Kazakhstan, 
Kyrgyzstan,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Malta,  Moldova,  Poland,  Qatar,  Romania,  Slovakia, 
Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA and Uzbekistan. 

As regards the fight against corruption, the State Security Service of Georgia received in 
2020 the support of the EU and the Council of Europe for a project on  “Enhancing the 
systems  of  prevention  and  combatting  corruption,  money  laundering  and  terrorist 
financing in Georgia”.  

Upon  the  adoption  of  the  law  on  facilitating  the  suppression  of  money  laundering  and 
terrorism financing in October 2019, the Interagency Commission on the Implementation 
of the United Nations Security Council resolutions has become the main contact point for 
United  Nations  structures  when  undertaking  measures  for  the  purpose  of  prevention, 
detection and suppression of the financing of terrorism.  

As regards the verification of asset declarations, since 2017, when the monitoring system 
was first established, the share or public officials fined for the existence of a violation in 
asset  and  interest  declaration  almost  halved  in  2019  and  there  was  a  slight  increase  in 
2020.  As  regards  asset  recovery,  in  2020,  the  Prosecution  Service  of  Georgia  received 
two requests from the EU asset recovery office and sent nine. 

Georgia  also  cooperates  regularly  with  EMCDDA  to  limit  the  domestic  demand  for 
drugs. In May 2021 the EU funded SAFE programme should be launched to support the 
local authorities to further improve national responses to health and security risks posed 
by drugs. In May 2020 Georgia become member of the Pompidou Group, the Council of 
Europe’s  drug  policy  cooperation  platform.  Its  membership  will  further  enhance  the 
already  existing  cooperation  with  the  Pompidou  Group.  As  regards  cooperation  with 

28 

 
 
Member  States  in  the  field  of  security,  Georgia  has  engaged  in  activities  with  Finland, 
France, Germany Greece, Spain and Sweden.  

As  regards  the  fight  against  terrorism,  the  State  Security  Service  (SSSG)  is  the  lead 
agency. The other Georgian state entities including  the Ministry of  Internal Affairs, the 
Ministry  of  Justice,  the  General  Prosecutor’s  Office,  the  Ministry  of  Defence)  are  also 
engaged,  within  their  scope  of  competences,  in  the  fight  against  terrorism.  The  SSSG 
coordinates the fight against terrorism through its Counterterrorism Centre. Georgia is a 
party  to  the  14  UN  anti-terrorism  conventions.  Relevant  databases  of  Interpol  are 
integrated  into  the  national  databases.  Georgia  continues  its  cooperation  with  Europol 
and  Europol’s  secure  communication  channel  SIENA  is  regularly  used  by  Georgia  law 
enforcement agencies.  

As  regards  cooperation  with  Eurojust,  in  2020,  Georgia  was  involved  in  32  cases  at 
Eurojust (out of which 16 new), 30 as requested country (14 new) and two new cases as 
requesting country. Georgia also participated in two coordination meetings organised at 
Eurojust.  These  cases  related  mainly  to  organised  crime,  money  laundering,  migrant 
smuggling and cybercrime.  

to  Finland.  Operational  cooperation 

Finland  has  increased  police  cooperation  with  Georgia  over  the  years  –  for  example, 
training  police  in  the  country.  Georgian  police  liaison  officer  located  Sweden  is  also 
accredited 
including 
information exchange. Cooperation has been more concrete and intense lately concerning 
mobile organised crime. A Twinning project “Supporting the Accession of Georgia to the 
Conventions  on  Transit  Area  and  Launching  of  the  New  Computerised  Transit  System 
(NCTS)”  was  executed  in  the  years  2018-2020.  The  project  was  led  by  the  Finnish 
Customs authorities.  

takes  place  regularly 

Germany  reported  training  courses  offered  to  Georgian  Police  and  Sweden  signalled 
good  cooperation  with  Georgia  on  the  fight  against  organised  crime.  Additionally,  in 
cooperation with Member States’ law enforcement authorities, four joint operations were 
conducted in 2020 in Greece (two operations), Spain and France, resulting into the arrest 
of 11 Georgian nationals, members of various organised crime groups.  

As  regards  the  implementation  of  the  legislation  on  the  protection  of  personal  data,  in 
2020, the State Inspector Service launched an investigation into 270 cases in which five 
persons were charged. A 24-hour hotline has been introduced through which the Service 
receives notifications.  

In 2020, at the initiative of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation 
and  Civic  Equality  a  training  course  aimed  at  raising  awareness  on  disinformation  and 
anti-western  propaganda  was  offered  to  young  people  from  the  regions  populated  by 
ethnic minorities.  

As regards measures taken to counter discrimination, a new strategy and action plan for 
civic equality and integration is expected to be adopted by mid-2021, including measures 
on the inclusion of ethnic minority representatives, special support to youth and women 
and  promotion  of  intercultural  relations.  Georgia  reports  that  ethnic  minorities  fully 
participated  in  the  2020  parliamentary  elections  and  that  the  representation  of  ethnic 
minorities in local self-government is proportional to their percentage of the population. 

29 

 
 
For  the  purposes  of  raising  awareness  of  ethnic  minorities  in  Georgia  on  anti-
discrimination  law,  the  Training  Centre  of  Justice  has  been  conducting  training  since 
2016. 

In  the  process  of  issuing  ID  cards  and  passports,  the  Public  Service  Development 
Agency  under  the  Ministry  of  Justice  continued  assisting  socially  vulnerable  persons, 
including veterans, stateless persons, internally displaced persons and minors. An effort 
was made to facilitate the procedure for persons with vision and hearing impairments. 

8.  Republic of Moldova 

8.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken  in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission  

As  regards  integrated  border  management,  Moldova’s  2021-2023  action  plan  has  been 
developed  and  relevant  Moldovan  agencies  with  competencies  and  responsibilities  in 
border  control  and  security  have  been  consulted.  In  December  2020,  the  Government 
drafted  the  related  decision,  although  its  adoption  has  been  delayed.  The  system  for 
coordination of border security, based on the national operational centre and regional and 
local  centres  of  the  Border  Police,  which  provides  a  situational  picture  at  national  and 
local  levels,  continued  to  ensure  compatibility  with  the  European  border  surveillance 
system.   

The  National  Council  for  Integrated  State  Border  Management  conducted  the  annual 
assessment of the implementation  of the integrated border management strategy  and its 
action  plan.  The  border  police  concluded  that  80%  of  actions  within  its  competences 
were fulfilled. 

Border  police  officers  in  border  crossing  points  have  permanent  access  to  Digital 
Handbooks,  containing  updated  information  on  genuine  and  false  passports  and  ID 
documents;  open  sources  and  the  Advanced  Document  Examination  System  (video 
spectral comparator including infrared and ultraviolet light, filters, white overhead light, 
transmitted  light).  USB  microscopes  or  more  advanced  examination  devices  are  also 
accessible at most border crossing points. 

In  cooperation  with  Ukrainian  border  agencies,  Moldovan  border  agencies  prepare 
quarterly and annually the Common Border Security Assessment Report (CBSAR) with 
the  support  of  the  EU  Border  Assistance  Mission  to  Moldova  and  Ukraine  (EUBAM). 
The  report  includes  analytical  and  statistical  data  on  the  control  and  security  of  the 
common border between Moldova and Ukraine.  

Border controls have been strengthened along the Moldovan-Ukrainian border with joint 
patrolling  (partially  covering  the  Transnistrian  segment  of  the  border),  including  1  088 
joint  operations  in  2019.  As  of  5  June  2019,  the  joint  patrolling  at  the  Moldovan-
Romanian  border  is  carried  out  under  the  bilateral  Protocol  on  the  establishment  and 
activities of joint patrol teams at the common state border, signed in November 2018. By 
March  2021,  307  joint  operations  had  been  carried  out.  In  accordance  with  the 
anticorruption  plan  in  the  field  of  public  order  for  2018-20,  Border  Police  has  an 
anticorruption education programme and carries out regular training. 

30 

 
 
 
In 2020, Moldovan border agencies signed a new cooperation plan between the agencies’ 
Mobile Teams, developed with the support of EUBAM. The document implements, with 
a  novelty  aspect,  the  intelligence-led  mechanism  of  planning  the  inter-agency  mobile 
units’ operational activities at central and regional level. The cooperation plan was signed 
in January 2020. 

In  the  area  of  migration  management,  risk  analysis  and  threat  assessment  products  are 
developed  and  updated  periodically  at  central  and  regional  level  and  are  disseminated 
also  at  local  level.  These  tools  are  developed  both  by  each  law  enforcement  agency 
individually and jointly within the joint risk analysis working group framework. Border 
police  officers  are  regularly  updated  on  the  main  risks  at  the  crossing  points  and  the 
green  border.  Updates  are  delivered  mainly  before  the  shift,  but  also  during  training 
activities.  In  addition,  the  Moldovan  border  police  uses  the  PASAGER  (‘Passenger’) 
registration  system,  modelled  after  the  applications  used  by  Austria,  Hungary  and 
Romania.  The  purpose  of  the  system  is  to  collect  data  on  persons  to  be  stopped  at  the 
border  for  arrest  warrants,  interrogation,  risk  for  security,  etc.  The  information  is 
collected  on  a  permanent  basis  and  the  database is  updated  every  24  hours  by  regional 
and local risk analysis officers.  
In the framework of the 2018 Joint Assistance Exercise DEMETRA11, observations were 
made  regarding  the  two  additional  facilities  for  asylum  seekers  at  the  Chisinau 
International  Airport.  Despite  some  recommended  improvement,  it  was  considered  that 
the two facilities were sufficient, taking into account the quantity of asylum seekers and 
the  fact  that  the  task  of  the  border  police  regarding  applications  for  international 
protection,  is  limited  to  the  preparation  of  essential  documents  of  applications  for 
international protection, immediately handing them over to the Bureau for Migration and 
Asylum. 

The National  joint  risk analysis group, as well as regional joint  risk analysis groups on 
fight  against  cross  border  crime,  trafficking  in  human  beings  and  irregular  migration 
continued  to  function.  All  border  surveillance  systems  (15  stationary  systems  of 
surveillance  and nine mobile surveillance and detection systems  equipped with  thermal 
vision) continued to function. Border Police continued to use 30 sensors for detection and 
alert. TETRA communication system of the Border Police covered via radio 80% of the 
territory of Moldova. In 2020, Border Police carried out 110 joint patrols with Romania 
and  354  joint  patrols  with  Ukraine,  including  53  at  the  Transnistrian  segment  of  the 
Moldovan – Ukrainian state border. 

In  2020  the  Bureau  for  Migration  and  Asylum  of  the  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs 
identified  2  014  cases  of  violation  of  the  rules  of  stay  and  employment  by  foreigners 
(1670  cases  of  irregular  stay,  344  cases  of  undeclared  employment).  337  decisions  on 
withdrawal of the right to stay in Moldova were issued by the Bureau for Migration and 
Asylum of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

11  The  Joint  Assistance  Exercise  DEMETRA  was  conducted  in  2018  by  EUBAM  with  the  General 
Inspectorate  of  Border  Police  and  the  Moldovan  Customs  Services,  with  the  aim  of  assessing  the 
compliance with EU standards of aspects of border control at selected border crossing points. 

31 

 
 
                                                      
Currently only Denmark, France and Czech Republic (excluding Transnistria) recognise 
Moldova as  a safe  country  of origin. Moldovan  authorities continued bilateral  dialogue 
with main countries where Moldova nationals apply for asylum, namely Germany (since 
2017) and the Netherlands (since 2019). Moldova expressed willingness to proceed in a 
similar way with France.  

To  tackle  issues  related  to  migration,  readmission  and  risks  connected  to  the  visa  free 
regime  with  the  EU,  the  Ministry  of  Interior  created  a  working  group,  consisting  of 
representatives of the Border Police, Police  and  Bureau  of Migration  and Asylum. The 
main purpose of this group is to analyse migration data of Moldovan nationals belonging 
to  vulnerable  groups,  including  exchange  of  entry/exit  records,    means  of  transport, 
results of criminal investigations  readmission data. Five meetings of the working group 
were held during 2020. 

As regards document security, issuance of biometric passports continued to be subject to 
the provisions of the 9 November 1994 law on identity documents and 2011 on personal 
data  protection.  Biometric  passports  continued  to  be  issued  in  2020  according  to  the 
principle "one person – one document" (meaning that children cannot be included in their 
parents  passports).  The  phasing  out  of  non-ICAO  compliant  passports  was  completed. 
Moldova reported continuous efforts to improve its capability to detect false documents, 
both at the state borders and inside the country. The national database of false documents 
is  regularly  updated  and  Moldova  exchanged  information  with  third  countries  and 
Frontex. 

As regards cooperation with Member States, Austria carried out discussions on numerous 
border  and  migration  issues  with  Moldovan  Border  Police,  Police  and  Carabinieri. 
Moldova  participated  also  in  a  Virtual  Human  Trafficking  Conference  (14-15.10.2020) 
organised by Austria. Austria signalled very good cooperation in the area of return travel 
certificates, low case numbers and compliance with deadlines. Good cooperation also in 
extradition is reported. Moldova is one of priority countries of the Austrian Development 
Cooperation Framework Strategy (with Armenia and Georgia).  

Estonia,  Finland  and  France  also  report  good  cooperation  with  the  Moldovan  Border 
Guard.  Finland  sent  two  experts,  based  in  Chisinau,  to  EUBAM.  Poland  signalled 
training  offered  to  Moldovan  border  guard.  Romania  has  a  particularly  developed 
cooperation with Moldovan immigration and border protection services; common border 
patrols  were  frequent,  but  had  to  be  interrupted  in  March  2020  because  of  COVID-19 
pandemics. They are expected to resume as soon as sanitary situation allows.  

8.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 
migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission   

As  regards  applications  for  international  protection,  Germany  (46%  of  the  total)  and 
France  (44%)  received  the  majority  of  the  applications  in  2020,  followed  by  Belgium 
(3.5%). In case of France, there was a slight (4%) year-on-year increase. 

As  regards  the  number  of  Moldovan  nationals  being  refused  entry,  Romania  was  the 
most affected country accounting for 57% of all refusals of entry, followed by Hungary 
(27.5%)  and  Poland  (7%).  57%  of  refusal  were  due  to  the  lack  of  appropriate 
documentation  to  justify  the  purpose  and  conditions  of  stay.  14%  were  motivated  by  a 

32 

 
 
risk  to  public  policy,  internal  security,  public  health  or  the  relations  of  one  or  more 
Member States and 12% were related to alerts issued in the SIS or in the national register.  

As regards the number of nationals of Moldova found to be irregularly staying in the EU 
Member States in 2020, Hungary was the most affected country, accounting for 60% of 
the total, followed by Germany (18%) and France (5%).  

In 2020, France reported most of the return decisions of Moldovan nationals (27% of the 
total), followed by Germany (23%) and Czechia (18%). The decrease in effective returns 
(-44%),  contrasting  with  the  trend  observed  in  past  years,  was  very  likely  the 
consequence  of  COVID-19  pandemics.  Germany  carried  out  41%  of  effective  returns, 
followed by France (11.5%) and Netherlands (11%). 

8.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

The 2021 report of the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research on illicit financial 
flows  and  asset  recovery  recommended  to  Moldova  to  bolster  transparent  mechanisms 
for the seizure, confiscation, management and distribution of illicitly obtained assets. The 
Criminal Assets Recovery Agency and other law enforcement bodies implement the asset 
recovery  strategy  to  recover  funds  fraudulently  obtained  from  three  banks  and  state 
budget between 2010 and 2015.  

The  National  Integrity  and  Anti-Corruption  strategy  2017-2020  was  extended  for  two 
years  to  ensure  continuity  and  sustainability  of  activities  initiated  and  not  fully 
implemented  due  to  COVID-19.  The  proposed  amendment  is  pending  approval  of  the 
Parliament. In May 2020, Moldova joined the peer review programme of the OECD anti-
corruption  network  for  Eastern  Europe  and  Central  Asia  (ACN)  –  the  Istanbul  Anti-
corruption action plan (IAP).  

The draft law on the new Customs Code approved by the cabinet of ministers on 8 July 
aims at merging into a single normative act three laws: the current customs code, the law 
on the customs tariff and the law on the way of importing and exporting of goods from 
Moldova’s territory by private people.   

Moldova  ran  an  investor  citizenship  scheme  between  2018  and  2020.  The  scheme  was 
abolished  on  1  September  2020.  Applications  submitted  until  that  date  continue  to  be 
examined  according  to  the  same  rules  applicable  before  termination  of  the  scheme, 
including  due  diligence  checks.  38  applications  were  submitted  for  98  people  and  20 
applications concerning 52 people were successful.  

As regards cooperation in the fight against crime, Moldova reports that 4 875 documents 
were  exchanged  in  2020  between  Moldovan  and  Member  States  law  enforcement 
authorities through SIENA in  the area of drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, 
irregular migration, illicit trade in tobacco (excise fraud), payment card fraud and money 
laundering,  cybercrime,  property  crime,  counterfeit  currency  and  forgery  of  official 
documents.   

In  2020,  Moldova  participated  in  the  operational  action  plans  (OAPs)  and  joint  action 
days of EMPACT (the European Multidisciplinary Platform  Against Criminal  Threats). 
Moldova also continued to benefit from the EU-funded ‘Fighting organised crime in the 
Eastern  Partnership  region  2020-2024’  project,  implemented  by  Europol,  and  from  the 
bilateral police sector reform contract (including a budget support component). 

33 

 
 
Judicial  cooperation  in  criminal  matters  continued  through  the  implementation  of  the 
2014 Eurojust-Moldova’s cooperation agreement. In 2020, Moldova was involved in 21 
cases at Eurojust. Moldova also participated in six coordination meetings and eight JITs 
(three of which were newly signed, while five continued from previous years). 

On  28  May  2020,  under  the  auspices  of  Eurojust,  a  JIT  agreement  was  concluded 
between  Moldova,  French  and  Romanian  law  enforcement  agencies  on  a  trafficking  in 
human  beings  case.  The  joint  operation  took  place  simultaneously  in  France,  Romania 
and Moldova on 25 February 2021. 

By  March  2021  a  JIT  agreement  with  French  authorities  was  in  the  process  of  being 
signed  for  another  criminal  case  regarding  trafficking  in  human  beings  for  sexual 
exploitation.  In  March  2020,  under  the  auspices  of  Europol  and  Eurojust,  the  Regional 
Operation "NOMAD 2020" was carried out with the objective of combatting smuggling 
of people and irregular migration, in connection with other criminal activities, including 
terrorism.  

Moldova exchanged data and information with the Czech authorities, in the framework of 
a  criminal  case  filed  in  March  2020,  on  the  organisation  of  irregular  migration  of 
Moldovan nationals  holding two or more biometric passports.  The special investigative 
measures and criminal investigation actions resulted in the authorisation and conduction 
of  several  searches  in  houses,  vehicles  and  premises  of  international  passenger  and 
freight transport companies. 

The Moldovan police exchanged information with the French Central Office for the Fight 
against  Itinerant  Delinquency  regrading  a  criminal  organisation  specialised  in  the 
extortion  of  money  and  providing  passenger  transportation  services  from  Moldova  to 
France.  Moldovan  specialised  police  services  also  provided  support  to  Romanian 
authorities, with a simultaneous search conducted in both countries. 

Austria  supported  the  deployment  of  the  first  Carabinieri  Mission  of  Moldova  abroad, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  United  Nations,  as  a  closed  unit  of  military  policemen.  It 
participated in the mid-term evaluation of EU Budget Support Programme Police Reform 
for  Moldova  and  provided  material  help  for  Moldova  civil  protection,  destined  to  fight 
the COVID-19 outbreak. Germany provided material assistance and training to Moldova 
law enforcement authorities. Italy provided training to Moldovan police. The Netherlands 
and  Poland  also  signalled  cooperation  with  Moldovan  police.  Romania  regularly 
cooperates  with  Moldovan  police  and  in  2020  delivered  assistance  to  Moldovan  law 
enforcement agencies (training and IT equipment).  

A National  Human Rights Action Plan 2018-2022 is in place and its implementation is 
monitored  by  the  National  Human  Rights  Council,  which  commenced  its  operation  in 
September  2020.  Its  objectives  include  freedom  of  expression,  access  to  information, 
protection against discrimination, prevention and combatting of violence against women, 
elimination  of  discrimination  against  women,  removal  of  obstacles  to  access  to  quality 
education for all children. Moldova actively engages with the international human rights 
monitoring mechanisms and is up to date in its reporting to them. Moldova has adopted 
and  ratified  the  main  United  Nations  and  Council  of  Europe  instruments  on  the  fight 
against discrimination.  

The  2016-2020  action  plan  to  support  the  vulnerable  minority  populations  is  being 
implemented,  with  local  action  plans  in  Chișinău  and  Bălți.  The  2020-2022  budget 
allocations for 54 mediator positions could enlarge the current network of 39 community 

34 

 
 
mediators that operate to facilitate communication between those in vulnerable minority 
communities and public authorities. However, the administrative and financial capacities 
of  the  National  Council  for  the  Prevention  of  Discrimination  and  Ensuring  Equality 
remained  limited.  Latvia  reported  cooperation  with  Moldova  in  the  field  of  support  to 
vulnerable minorities and sustainable development of local communities.  

The  Bureau  for  Migration  and  Asylum  of  the  Ministry  of  Internal  Affairs  is  the  single 
point  of  contact  for  foreigners  and  stateless  persons,  including  on  labour  migration 
issues. Registration and de-registration of foreigners continued to be managed by means 
of the Automated information system "Public registry of population". Vulnerable persons 
(i.a. orphaned/abandoned minors, people with disabilities, victims of human trafficking, ) 
receive identity documents free of charge.  

9.  Ukraine 

9.1.  Additional information regarding the actions taken  in the area of migration, 

asylum and cooperation on readmission  

As  regards  integrated  border  management  (IBM),  a  new  strategy  entered  into  force  in 
September  2019  and  will  be  implemented  until  2025.  The  2020-2022  action  plan  was 
approved  in  November  2019  and  entered  into  force  in  December  2019.  For  the 
coordination of the strategy implementation, an interagency working group was created 
under the chairmanship of the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine.  

Progress is reported as regards the following measures: the completion of the inspection 
of the railway border crossing points, the preparation of regulatory acts for the Common 
Transit Regime and for Authorised Operator status; the organisational restructuration of 
the  State  Border  Guard  Service  (SBGS),  the  strengthening  of  technical  surveillance 
systems;  the  organisation  of  joint  training  courses  with  the  National  Police  and  joint 
activities with the participation of different  IBM actors; the adoption of instructions for 
the  organisation  of  mutual  exchange  of  information  on  the  air  situation  between  the 
Armed  Forces of Ukraine, the  SBGS  and the National  Guard;  and the strengthening  of 
the risk management system at customs. 

The action plan on the implementation of the 2018-2021 migration strategy for the period 
2018-2021 continued to be carried out. Work was underway to prepare an updated plan 
for  2022-2025.  In  2020,  Ukraine  signed  an  updated  partnership  agreement  with  the 
network  of  Frontex  Partnership  Academies.  A  Common  Core  Curriculum  Program  is 
being implemented for basic training of border guards in EU countries.  

The State Migration Service (SMS) collects information on migration and publishes the 
“Migration  Profile  of  Ukraine”  on  its  official  website.  In  January  2020,  the  SMS 
established  the  Unit  of  Statistical  Work  and  Monitoring  of  Migration  Processes.  The 
human  resources  management  of  the  SMS  continued  to  be  improved,  in  particular  the 
training programme with the establishment of a fully staffed Training Unit.  On 16 June 
2020,  the  Parliament  adopted  the  legislation  on  recognition  and  protection  of  stateless 
people.  

35 

 
 
 
Implementation protocols to the EU readmission agreement are operational with Austria, 
Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania. Ukraine has readmission agreements in 
force  with  Belarus,  Georgia,  Iceland,  Moldova,  Norway,  Russia,  Vietnam,  Turkey, 
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

In  2020,  Ukraine  continued  the  implementation  of  the  EU-funded  project  ‘Support  for 
Migration and Asylum Management in Ukraine’, implemented by IOM, which includes 
the  improvement  of  IT  systems,  modernisation  of  National  System  of  Biometric 
Verification  and  Identification  of  Persons  etc.  The  project  was  extended  until  March 
2021.  

As  regards  document  security,  drafts  of  new  laws  on  passports  and  on  fight  against 
forgery of ID documents are being examined in the Parliament. Non-biometric passports, 
valid for 10 years, are not issued any more since 1 January 2015; they are progressively 
replaced  with  biometric  passports  as  they  expire.    The  electronic  system  “Invalid 
Documents” was created, containing information on invalidated documents.  

Ukraine  exchanges  information  with  Interpol  on  stolen  and  lost  documents.  Territorial 
authorities  and  the  State  Migration  Service  (SMS)  units  provide  information  to  the 
Interpol  National  Central  Bureau  (NCB)  for  Ukraine  of  the  main  police  (NPU) 
Departments in the regions, Kyiv and the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service (SBGS). 
Electronic archives are being translated and digitised. Almost 50 million applications for 
passports  issued  in  1994  and  more  than  20  million  applications  for  passports  issued  in 
1974 have been translated and digitised into electronic format. 

trafficking 

Austria  conducted  surveys  concerning 
in  human  beings,  migration 
governance,  statistics  and  technology  of  border  management.  Austria  signalled  a  good 
cooperation  in  return  preparation  and  extradition.  Voluntary  returns  are  well  accepted. 
Belgium  reported  that  Ukraine  participated  in  the  pilot  phase  of  the  rollout  of  the 
automated readmission system (RCMS). Estonia and Finland signalled regular and good 
cooperation  with  the  Ukrainian  border  guard.  On  7  February  2020,  a  Memorandum  of 
understanding  between  Ukraine  and  Finland  on  migration,  asylum  and  citizenship  was 
signed.  

Poland  reported  that  Ukrainian  authorities  were  issuing  simultaneously  two  or  three 
biometric  passports  to  some  of  their  nationals,  which  in  practice  could  result  in  the 
Ukrainian nationals  concerned staying more than 90 days in  a 180-day period.  In other 
cases,  Poland  reported  that  Ukrainian  authorities  issued  passports  with  ‘modified’ 
personal data (i.a. by changing the name or correcting the surname), allowing individuals 
who  previously  violated  the  law  to  enter  the  territory  of  the  Member  States.  Poland 
provided expert support to Ukraine border guard in service dogs training, risk analysis, 
criminal analysis and detection of transport/trafficking of explosives across borders. 

36 

 
 
9.2.  Additional  information  regarding  the  monitoring  of  trends  in  irregular 

migration, applications for international protection, returns and readmission 

As  regards  applications  for  international  protection,  the  most  affected  Member  States12 
were France (36% of the total), followed by Spain (19%) and Germany (11%).  

Similarly to 2019, in 2020 more than half of all refusals of entry issued to nationals of 
the  monitored  countries  were  to  Ukrainian  nationals.  Hungary  (45%  of  the  total)  and 
Poland (40%) issued the majority of refusals,  followed by Romania (7.5%). More than 
half  of  the  refusals  were  issued  on  the  basis  of  lack  of  appropriate  documentation  to 
justify  the  purpose  and  conditions  of  stay  (57%)  and  20%  were  motivated  by  a  risk  to 
public  policy,  internal  security,  external  relations  or  public  health,  partly  due  to  the 
COVID-19 pandemic.  

In 2020, the number of irregular stays continues on an upward trend, notwithstanding the 
travel limitations in time of COVID-19 pandemics. As regards the number of Ukrainian 
nationals  found  to  be  irregularly  staying  in  2020,  Hungary  was  the  most  affected 
Member State (54% of the total), followed by Poland (16%) and Germany (13%).  

In 2020, Poland issued most of the return decisions to Ukrainian nationals (36%) in the 
EU, followed by Czechia (22%) and Germany (9%). The number of the effective returns 
marked the highest decrease in 2020, (-79%) with five countries reporting about half of 
all  returns  of  Ukrainian  nationals:  Lithuania,  Germany,  Poland  (11%  each),  Czechia 
(10%)  and Estonia (9%). The overall fall in  effective returns is  largely  associated with 
COVID-19.  

9.3.  Additional  information  regarding  actions  taken  in  the  areas  of  justice  and 

security 

In order to increase the capacities of the prosecution, on 16 October 2020, the Prosecutor 
General adopted a new development strategy for 2021-2023. The reform of prosecution, 
launched  in  2019,  continued.  The  Office  of  the  Prosecutor  General  (GPO)  became 
operational  on  2  January  2020.  Vacancies  in  GPO  were  filled  by  the  end  of  2020. 
Reorganised regional prosecutor's offices began functioning on 11 September 2020. The 
newly created Training Centre of Prosecutors also began to function in 2020. 

The Interregional Territorial Department of the Police, created in 2019 with purpose of 
coordination  of  fight  against  organised  crime,  achieved  in  2020  the  operational 
deployment in all regions of the country.  

Representatives  of  the  Police  participated  in  drafting  the  Serious  and  Organised  Crime 
Threat  Assessment  Methodology  in  Ukraine  based  on  Europol  SOCTA  Methodology. 
With  the  support  of  the  European  Union  Advisory  Mission  (EUAM),  the  interagency 
working  group  has  developed  a  strategy  for  the  implementation  of  the  SOCTA 
Methodology, the registration cards, as well as areas of criminal activity on the basis of 
indicators inherent in Ukraine.  

Within the PRAVO Police project, the relevant IT information collection, processing and 
analysing system for domestic model “SOCTA-Ukraine” was introduced in Police HQs. 

12 See footnote 2. 

37 

 
 
                                                      
Ukraine reported that in 2020, Police (NPU) neutralised 353 organised criminal groups, 
including 19 considered as criminal organisations (22% more than in 2019), involving 1 
401  people;  500  people  were  held  in  pre-trial  detention.  The  State  Security  (SSU) 
neutralised further 12 organised criminal groups. Both agencies considered as a priority 
the organised crime groups linked to public administration and local government or with 
transnational  connections.  Organised  crime  groups  were  mostly  involved  in  drug  trade; 
trafficking  in  human  beings,  smuggling  of  firearms  and  cigarettes.  International 
cooperation in fight against organised crime continued, including via joint investigation 
teams like the one created in January 2020 with Czech Republic.  

Ukraine also reported that the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) issued more than 60 
sentences, in some cases leading to lengthy prison sentences. In August 2020, the Head 
of  Specialised  Anti-Corruption  Prosecutor's  Office  (SAPO)  resigned  and  a  process  for 
the selection of his successor was launched by the GPO with the support of international 
partners, including the EU.  

On 16 September 2020, the Government approved the draft law on anti-corruption policy 
for  2020-24,  which  by  April  2021  was  pending  adoption  by  the  Parliament.  Numerous 
law  enforcement  agencies  are  involved  in  the  fight  against  corruption:  the  Specialised 
Anti-Corruption  Prosecutor's  Office  (SAPO),  State  Bureau  of  Investigation  (SBI), 
Specialised  Prosecutor's  Office  in  the  Military  and  Defence  Spheres,  State  Customs 
Services (SCS) and the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).  

In August 2020, the President issued a decree on the National Coordinator in the sphere 
of combatting of trafficking in human beings. In October 2020, Ukraine opened access to 
the online educational quest on safe employment, mainly targeting unemployed persons, 
where  users  learn  how  to  recognise  risky  offers  that  can  lead  to  a  situation  of  human 
trafficking.  

As regards the fight against international terrorism, in 2020, the State Security continued 
actions  against  Ukraine-based  activists  and  supporters  of  extremist  organisations  from 
Middle  East,  Central  Asia  and  North  Africa,  including  Islamic  State,  Al  Qaeda,  and 
Hezbollah.  

Examples  of cooperation with  Eurojust and Europol  in  2020 included the identification 
of  bank  accounts  fraudulently  opened  in  Member  States,  the  dismantling  of  criminal 
groups smuggling drugs  and/or cigarettes  with  connections in  Member States, the  fight 
against irregular use of sanitary waste and against the illicit trafficking of medical items 
during  the  COVID-19  pandemic  (such  as  medical  masks  and  medicines),  their 
counterfeiting and other types of fraud associated with the pandemic, neutralisation of a 
criminal  group  involved  in  vehicles  leasing  fraud  in  Czech  Republic,  Poland  and 
Netherlands  and  the  localisation  and  dismantling  of  a  large  factory  producing  illegal 
cigarettes and other tobacco products in the Netherlands (operation ‘SALO’); organisers 
and workers were nationals of Ukraine and Moldova.  

Cooperation  with  Eurojust  continued  via  the  Ukraine  representative  at  the  EU  agency.   
In  2020,  Ukraine  was  involved  in  192  cases  at  Eurojust  (out  of  which  93  were  newly 
opened)  and  19  coordination  meetings.  These  cases  related  mainly  to  swindling  and 
fraud,  money  laundering  and  organised  crime.  With  the  assistance  of  the  Liaison 
Prosecutor to Eurojust, the establishment of five new JITs and continuation of eight joint 

38 

 
 
investigation teams between the competent authorities of Ukraine and EU countries has 
been ensured.  

The  Czech  Republic  provided  assistance  in  order  to  introduce  new  procedures  and 
methods  for  conducting  interrogations  particularly  with  vulnerable  victims,  including 
equipment  for  training  interrogation  room.  Estonia  signalled  close  cooperation  with 
Ukraine  in  the  field  of  cyber  security  and  investigation  of  cybercrimes  and  investment 
frauds.  Latvia  signalled 
in  audit  and  financial 
investigations.  Netherlands  had  numerous  training  courses  planned  for  Ukraine  law 
enforcement  agencies,  but  they  all  had  to  be  postponed  because  of  COVID-19 
pandemics.  

training  offered 

to  specialists 

The inter-agency working group for personal data protection was set up on November 12, 
2019  in  the  Parliament.  The  Group  drafted  the  law  on  personal  data  protection,  which 
aims at meeting the requirements of the Association Agreement.  

In June 2020, the Parliament adopted a law providing for the creation of a procedure for 
recognition of stateless persons, which allows issuance of a temporary residence permit 
for  legal  stays  and  stateless  person  certificates  for  travel  abroad.  The  State  Migration 
Service  continued  working  on  the  registration  of  internally  displaced  persons,  in 
particular from the occupied territories of Donetsk and Lugansk region and Crimea, and 
the issuance of identity documents.  

In 2020, Ukraine supported with UAH 3,042.6 million (EUR 92.2 million) in the support 
of internally displaced persons. An effort was made to guarantee the right to education in 
the  context  of  COVID-19  pandemics.  Children  living  in  territories  currently  not 
controlled  by  the  Ukrainian  government  can  use  online  learning  to  receive  Ukrainian 
certificates and diplomas. Students from the areas of Luhansk and Donetsk can study in 
Ukrainian universities free of charge through a State order within the quotas. 

Ukraine  developed  a  number  of  legal  and  practical  mechanisms  to  provide  school, 
vocational education (including higher education) and professional training for internally 
displaced  persons  or  those  living  in  non-government  controlled  (NGC)  areas.  They 
included  the  possibility  to  enrol  in  schools  via  online  applications  and  developing 
distance learning.  

integration  of  vulnerable  communities, 

As regards efforts against discrimination, Ukraine continued to implement the strategy on 
protection  and 
including  campaigns  of 
information  and  awareness  raising,  targeting  the  general  public.  Efforts  continued  to 
encourage  enrolment  of  children  from  vulnerable  minorities  in  schools,  to  carry  out 
vaccinations against tuberculosis and to raise awareness about HIV infections. The State 
Migration  Service  also  assists  members  of  vulnerable  communities  legally  residing  in 
Ukraine  in  the  process  of  obtaining  identity  documents  and  confirming  citizenship. 
Efforts were made to support the education in regional or native languages. 

Police  procedures  concerning  hate  crimes  were  reviewed  in  June  2019  by  the  order 
relating to additional measures to prevent and respond to illegal actions committed on the 
grounds of racial, national, religious hatred or discord or on the grounds of gender.  

39