Integrated Border Management Fund: instrument for financial support for customs control equipment 2021–2027

PURPOSE: to establish, as part of the integrated border management fund, the instrument for financial support for customs control equipment for the period 2021-2027.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: in order to respond to increased migratory and security challenges, the Commission has proposed the establishment of a new integrated border management fund under the next multiannual financial framework for the period 2021-2027. This new fund aims to provide enhanced support to Member States with a view to securing the Union’s common external borders.

Within this framework, it is proposed that the integrated border management fund shall consist of two instruments: a financial support instrument in the field of border and visa management and a financial support instrument for customs control equipment. This proposal only concerns customs control equipment. The Commission shall at the same time present a separate proposal on the instrument in the field of border management and visas. 

The 2 140 customs offices that are present over the external borders of the European Union need to be properly equipped to ensure the operation of the customs union. In order to avoid the diversion of flows of goods towards the weakest points, it is essential to ensure equivalence in the performance of customs controls throughout the Customs Union.

CONTENT: the proposal for a Regulation - presented for a Union of 27 Member States - seeks to create the financial support instrument for customs control equipment as part of integrated border management fund. It lays down the objectives of the Instrument, the budget for the period 2021 – 2027, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding. 

Objective: the proposed instrument aims to ensure greater uniformity in the performance of customs controls at the external borders by addressing the current imbalances between Member States due to geographical differences and disparities in capacity and available resources. It shall complement the actions foreseen under the Customs programme.

The specific objective of this instrument is to contribute to adequate and equivalent customs control through the purchase, maintenance and upgrade of customs control equipment.

The instrument shall be implemented in direct management, by means of grants. The Commission shall set up a coordination mechanism ensuring efficiency and interoperability between all the equipment purchased with the support of Union programmes and instruments.

Eligible equipment: equipment shall be eligible only if it relates to at least one of the six following purposes: (i) non-intrusive inspection; (ii) indication of hidden objects on humans; (iii) radiation detection and nuclide identification; (iv) analysis of samples in laboratories; (v) sampling and field analysis of samples; (vi) handheld search.

Annex 1 lays down an indicative list of customs control equipment that may be used to achieve the customs control purposes. The Commission may amend this list by means of delegated acts.

In addition to the purchase, maintenance and upgrade of eligible equipment, and where appropriate, the instrument will also support the purchase or upgrade of customs control equipment for testing new pieces or new functionalities in operational conditions.

Proposed budget: the Commission’s proposal for the next multi-annual framework includes a proposal of EUR 9.31 billion (in current prices) for the integrated border management fund for the period 2021-2027.

Within this global envelope, the financial resources available for the implementation of this specific Regulation amount to EUR 1.3 billion (in current prices).