EU/Iceland Agreement: supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Anders Primdahl VISTISEN (ECR, DK) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the Agreement between the European Union and Iceland on supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, as part of the Internal Security Fund, for the period 2014 to 2020.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

As a reminder, the ISF Borders and Visas establishes a solidarity mechanism, binding the participating states by the same European rules on the control of external borders in each other's interests and on each other's behalf.

This proposal - the draft Agreement with Iceland- is to establish exactly those arrangements, namely to enable the Commission to assume responsibility for the implementation of the budget of the instrument in this associated country and to determine Iceland’s contribution to the Union budget in respect of this instrument (around 563 999 EUR per year for 2016, 2017 and 2018, while Iceland’s contribution for 2019 and 2020 will be determined in 2019).

The rapporteur considers that the proposal will serve to accomplish a key objective of the Schengen acquis, namely to share responsibility for an efficient, high and uniform level of control at the external borders in order, to ensure, on one hand, a uniform and high level of control and protection of the external borders, including by the tackling of illegal immigration and, on the other hand, the smooth crossing of the external borders, in compliance with the Union’s commitment to fundamental freedoms and human right.