Immigration: creation of a liaison officers network. Initiative Greece

The Council, pending the opinion of the European Parliament and the lifting of some parliamentary reservations, reached a general approach on the Regulation creating an immigration liaison officers network (ILO). Each Member State will ensure that its immigration liaison officers establish and maintain direct contacts with the competent authorities in the host country and any appropriate organisation within the host country, with a view to facilitating and expediting the collection and exchange of information. Immigration liaison officers will collect information for use either at the operational level, or at a strategic level, or both. Immigration liaison officers shall also be entitled to render assistance in establishing the identity of third country nationals and in facilitating their return to their country of origin. It is recalled that the discussions regarding the creation of an immigration liaison officers (ILO) network started on 28 May 2001, when the Council adopted conclusions establishing a network of immigration liaison officers to ensure a coordinated response to the problem of illegal flows of migrants through the Western Balkan region and to work with and assist countries in that region. �