Newsroom Type: News

EUBAM brought 35 Moldovan and Ukrainian border-guard and customs officers to Tudora border crossing point (BCP) last week as part of a Task Force Arms training event dedicated to the transport of arms and ammunition across the state border.

With the assistance of experts from the Polish Border Guard, participants were familiarized with solutions and procedures used by EU Member States regarding the transport of weapons and ammunition. Two representatives from the Moldovan National Agency for Regulation of Nuclear and Radiological Activities (NARNRA) also demonstrated the practical use of a mobile laboratory that was donated by the European Union and that is used to detect nuclear and radiological material.

In the context of ongoing joint exercises to combat drug trafficking in southern Moldova, the Moldovan Border Police (MDBP) and the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) were able to report progress this week following the discovery of a cannabis field close to the Moldova-Ukraine border.

A Joint EUBAM-MDBP Working Group created specifically to monitor illicit cannabis cultivation in areas close to the “green” border managed to locate the plantation of ‘hemp’ that was concealed among other crops on half a hectare of land.

At this stage it is estimated that at full maturity the seized plants would have amounted to 115,000 cannabis plants being sold illegally.

Moldovan authorities have already opened a criminal case in connection with the seizure.

EUBAM provides continual support to law-enforcement agencies in both Moldova and Ukraine in order to counteract cross-border crime such drug trafficking. It achieves this through various training initiatives, joint border control operations, investigation support, facilitation of cross-border and international cooperation, and task forces that target particular types of crime.

The first of a two-day international conference on Integrated Border Management, organised by the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) to Moldova and Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, got underway at the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in Khmelnitskiy yesterday.

Over 160 researchers, university lecturers and senior border professionals from Ukraine, CIS countries and EU Member States are attending the conference – ‘Integrated Border Management (IBM): Theory and Practice’ – in order to address issues such as integrated border management principles, strategic planning and practical implementation of the IBM concept, mechanisms of border cooperation and coordination, as well as human recourses management and the use of the latest technologies in border management.

Apart from EUBAM, there is significant representation from international organisations at the conference, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM.) Liaison officers and military attaches from diplomatic missions accredited in Ukraine are also present.

The Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Dr Mykola Lytvyn, and the Head of EUBAM, Mr Udo Burkholder, opened the conference.

Mr Burkholder told the delegates: “A critical part of a comprehensive approach is exploring content, principles and mechanisms of Integrated Border Management. Without a deep knowledge of the theory, the practice will suffer from misunderstanding and misinterpretation. To avoid this, there is a strong need to exchange experience and share views, for which this conference offers an excellent platform.”

Delegates were also given a walking tour of the campus of the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine by its Rector, Mr Valeriy Rayko. This is the third such IBM conference to be organised by EUBAM, following similar events in Kiev (2009) and Chisinau (2010).

EUBAM Summer School ‘BORDERS OF EUROPE’

June 23 -30, 2013, Odessa, Ukraine

European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine is pleased to announce its Summer School ‘Borders of Europe’ 2013.

The Summer School is aimed at sharing knowledge about the European Union, EU values and current EU developments (in particular in the area of border management). Also throughout the Summer School students will be able to participate in training sessions on project management, leadership, PR and intercultural and social competence.

Working languages of the Summer School are English and Russian.

ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS

Open to 2nd -4th year students (aged 18 to 25) with a background in International Relations, International Law, European Studies, Political or Social Science or related fields from one of the following universities: Odessa National I.I. Mechnikov University, National University ‘Odessa Law Academy’, Odessa State Economic University, Odessa Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration Office of the President of Ukraine, Odessa State University of Internal Affairs, Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Donetsk State University of Management, Donetsk National Technical University, Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after M. Tugan-Baranovsky, Free International University of Moldova, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova and T. Shevchenko University in Tiraspol, Academy of Customs Service of Ukraine, National B. Khmelnitskii Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Personal skills: motivated, active and open-minded.

Language skills: fluency in both English and Russian.

NB! All participants from the Republic of Moldova must have a valid foreign passport.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must send the following documents to schools@eubam.org

1) CV in English;

2) Letter of motivation in English (maximum 1 page) explaining why you would like to participate in EUBAM Summer School ‘Borders of Europe’? How will you benefit from participating in it?

3) Copy of the university transcript

COSTS

All expenses related to accommodation and meals during the Summer School ‘Borders of Europe’ will be covered by EUBAM.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 3 June 2013

For more information please contact Ms Dariia Pokhliebaieva, tel.: 0482 36 52 74,

e-mail: press@eubam.org

On 15-17 April, EUBAM hosted an official delegation from the Federal Security Academy of the Republic of Austria (SIAK) and in the context of the Mission’s efforts to develop working relationships with law-enforcement educational establishments signed another Joint Statement on Cooperation. The delegation was composed of Dr Norbert Leitner, Director of SIAK and Mr Peter Lamplot, Acting Head of the International Centre of SIAK.

On 16 April the representatives of SIAK visited Kuchurgan Road BCP, where they met the experts from Field Office Kuchurgan as well as partner-services officers. That afternoon the guests had an official meeting with Major General Dr Anatoliy Voloshuk, Rector of Odessa State University of Internal Affairs. An excursion around the university was organised for the Austrian colleagues, during which they visited the university’s shooting room and observed a self-defense training simulation performed by cadets. SIAK and the university agreed on joint projects to be carried out in future.

The Joint Statement between EUBAM and SIAK, which stipulates the main spheres of further bilateral cooperation, was signed on 17 April.

In the light of concerns over the illegal trade in counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs products in Moldova and Ukraine, EUBAM carried out an international operational meeting on the subject at its headquarters in Odessa on 16-17 April.

The phenomenon of counterfeit medicinal products is a growing organsied-crime threat, damaging to citizens from the point of view of public health, to business for the breaches of Intellectual Property Rights, and to government for the lost revenues arising from such crimes.

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 10% of the global pharmaceutical drugs market is comprised of counterfeit products, but this proportion rises to as much as 20% in former Soviet countries. Globally, the illicit market was worth an estimated $75 billion in 2010.

Last week’s meeting was attended by representatives from EUBAM’s Moldovan and Ukrainian state-agency partner services and by experts from Moldovan and Ukrainian forensic institutes. International experts from the Polish National Institute of Drugs were also in attendance to lend their expertise and allow further deepening of contacts with Moldovan and Ukrainian law-enforcement agencies.

At the heart of discussions were the competences needed by all agencies in order to tackle organised crime and deal with investigations, including those supported by EUBAM. The benefits accruing from further international bilateral cooperation between Moldovan and Ukrainian agencies and EU organisations such as the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the European Directorate for Quality of Medicines and Health Care were also outlined.

Participants also addressed the idea of assistance in drafting recommendations on legislation in both countries; these would be in line with the EU convention ‘Medicrime’ – the first legal document criminalizing the production and distribution of counterfeit medical products – and continued within the context of EUBAM’s ‘Working Group III’ (on Intellectual Property Rights).

In one of his final acts as Head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) to Moldova and Ukraine, Mr Udo Burkholder today presented details of EUBAM’s annual report for the period December 2011 to November 2012 to members of the Mission’s Advisory Board. Mr Burkholder will retire at the end of May.

The 20th Advisory Board Meeting of EUBAM saw representatives from EU delegations in Moldova and Ukraine, the foreign ministries, border and law enforcement agencies of Moldova and Ukraine, and international organizations such as United Nations Development Programme, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and International Organization for Migration gather in Chisinau, Moldova, where the Head of the Delegation of the EU to Ukraine, Jan Tombinski, acted as chairman.

During the meeting the Mission also reported its activity covering the period from December 2012 to March 2013. Mr Burkholder shared with the board the results of the 10th Joint Border Control Operation ‘Podolia’, addressed recent developments in the process of demarcation of the Moldova-Ukraine border, and the concept of EUBAM activities for Phase 10, which starts in December 2013.

The Advisory Board acknowledged the progress made in EUBAM’s operational support, greater sustainability in capacity-building activities, and its confidence-building efforts in particular, bringing together the customs representatives from Chisinau and Tiraspol following the resumption of rail freight traffic through Transnistria in 2012. Among other outstanding examples of progress achieved has been the establishment of a Jointly Operated Border Crossing Point at Rossoshany-Briceni, and the beginning of joint patrolling on the Moldova-Ukraine border in July 2012.

The chairman of the board, Ambassador Tombinski expressed personal gratitude to the Head of EUBAM Mr Udo Burkholder for his work as both Deputy Head of EUBAM and Head of EUBAM since his appointment in January 2008. “Under the leadership of Mr Burkholder EUBAM has done a lot in setting good example and passing on European Union standards in border management, which itself is an important part of the reform processes in both Moldova and Ukraine, and also plays a role in the ongoing association and visa-liberalization processes”, he said.

At the sixth Tri-Lateral meeting of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) to Moldova and Ukraine and the security services of both countries, held in Odessa today, the Head of EUBAM Mr Udo Burkholder paid tribute to the joint efforts of all parties to tackle cross-border crime.

The Deputy Head of the General Directorate for fighting against corruption and organised crime of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), Mr Hennadiy Kalachov, and the Deputy Head of the General Department for counterintelligence in economy and public authorities of the Information and Security Service of the Republic of Moldova (MDISS), Mr Iurii Pricop, joined Mr Burkholder in commending the ongoing cooperation between EUBAM and both services in terms of information exchange, joint intelligence-led investigations and joint border control operations.

Central to today’s trilateral meeting was an assessment of security threats currently on the Moldova-Ukraine border, as well as an evaluation of joint activities.

Mr Burkholder emphasized the importance of partnership in tackling cross-border crime. “We can only tackle cross-border crime in a spirit of partnership, which is one of EUBAM’s core values,” he said. “Our positive working relationship with the security services of Moldova and Ukraine is key to the fight against crime and promotion of regional security.”

Apart from the participation of both services in EUBAM training initiatives and the success of the most recent Joint Border Control Operation (PODOLIA), the parties highlighted the efforts of the two ‘working groups’, one to address illegal migration and trafficking in human beings, and the second to address illicit smuggling activities. These working groups, coordinated by EUBAM, provide the security services a mechanism through which they exchange information.

Both the SSU and MDISS also played key roles in Task Force Arms, launched by EUBAM in March 2011 to strengthen efforts at counteracting the proliferation of weapons, radiological and nuclear material. EUBAM also created a mechanism for identification of drug consignments at Odessa and Illichevsk sea ports by setting up Task Force Drugs in September 2011.

Looking to the future, Mr Burkholder stressed that all parties should continue to utilize all available tools in order to meet the challenge of tackling cross-border crime.

On 15th of March the European Union Border Assistance Mission for Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) and Bavarian State Criminal Police (BLKA) signed a Joint Statement on Cooperation. The document, signed by the Deputy Head of EUBAM Mr Slawomir Pichor and Criminal Director of Bavarian State Criminal Police Mr Alfons Zehentner, is focused first of all on intensification of cooperation in the area of combating vehicle crime on international level.

The Joint Statement outlines the procedure for the exchange of vehicle data which will help to raise efficiency of investigation efforts of border and law enforcement agencies in Moldova and Ukraine in the area of combating vehicle crime. BKLA will also continue providing support to EUBAM initiative Task Force ‘Vehicle Crime’ as well as providing training for Ukrainian and Moldovan officers from the border and law enforcement agencies.

Both parties agreed that the Joint Statement will make the information exchange easier and will bring the cooperation between EUBAM and BLKA on a higher level. The Joint Statement will remain in force until the end of EUBAM’s current mandate, 30 November 2015.

On 21 March a day long working meeting of customs experts from both banks of Dniester River with participation of the representatives of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) took place at the headquarters of EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine in Odessa.

The meeting, initiated by EUBAM, went in a friendly atmosphere. The delegations chaired by the heads of customs structures from Chisinau and Tiraspol discussed the possibilities of implementation of joint customs control and shared the ideas on ways of cooperation in prevention of smuggling of goods and other illegal activity.

The meeting followed up the study visit of customs experts to German-Swiss border jointly organized by EUBAM and OSCE on 11 – 14 March 2013 where participants from Chisinau and Tiraspol had a chance to visit two customs posts on the German-Swiss border and to study the joint customs procedures, take part in expert discussions, and learn about EU best practices in customs cooperation.

As part of the confidence-building process EUBAM is paying a special attention to facilitation of cooperation between customs experts from both sides of the River Dniester and providing technical advice and recommendations on this matter.

EUBAM this week met with representatives of the ‘EU Project Group on information exchange between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries’ (Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine), during a study visit they were undertaking to Chisinau and Odessa from 4-7 March 2013 in order to learn more about the Pre-Arrival Information Exchange System (PAIES) that has been established between the customs services of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, with the assistance of EUBAM.

The Project Group, which is investigating the possibility of using PAIES as a pilot project, was set up in 2011 after the high-level seminar on customs cooperation at the Eastern border of the EU.

This week, Ukrainian customs officials explained how PAIES is used between Moldova and Ukraine – with for example exchange of export declarations data in advance, as well as confirmation messages being shared electronically. PAIES has led to substantial improvements in customs controls, risk analysis and faster procedures at the border.

During the study visit both Moldovan and Ukrainian customs services went into more detail on how PAIES works on different levels of their administrations. The participants visited the Moldovan customs training centre in Chisinau and EUBAM headquarters in Odessa. Through concrete examples it was shown how PAIES is used for risk analysis, facilitation of customs controls and how it improves trade facilitation. The participants were also taken to the border crossing point at Tudora-Starokozache, where they got to see first-hand how PAIES works during daily procedures at a customs post.

The Project Group was particularly interested in the concrete benefits of PAIES in terms of trade facilitation, risk analysis and combating customs fraud, how the exchanged information is used and how data is protected. They also wanted to learn more about problems and challenges with the implementation of PAIES and possible complaints from businesses and travellers.

Customs experts from Chisinau and Tiraspol are this week participating in a joint study visit co-organised by the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

It is the first time customs representatives from both parties have participated together in such an event, which is significant both as a key part of the confidence-building process and as an opportunity for participants to observe cooperation at the joint customs posts on the German-Swiss border, specifically at Waldshut and Weil am Rhein, which is outside the Swiss city of Basel.

While visiting the joint customs posts, the participants will be briefed on Swiss-German joint customs procedures, take part in expert discussions, and learn about EU standards in joint customs control, all with a view to enhancing and harmonizing customs procedures on both sides of the river Dniester in the Republic of Moldova.

The study visit follows on from EUBAM’s conducting of a first customs training initiative for Chisinau and Tiraspol customs representatives in May last year, and the Mission’s facilitation of a tri-lateral process that played a part in the resumption of rail freight traffic through Transnistria last April. Now the emphasis is on the implementation of the customs agreement for the ultimate benefit of citizens and businesses on both sides of the Dniester river. EUBAM is playing a key role in offering technical advice on customs matters as part of the confidence-building process.

From 11-15 February 2013, the British Embassy of Ukraine and the International and Commonwealth Training Unit of the Maritime Warfare School, HMS Collingwood, conducted ‘Exclusive Economic Zone’ training at EUBAM headquarters in Odessa. The 25 participants to benefit from the training came from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, Security Service of Ukraine, and the border-guard and customs services, and border police, of Moldova and Ukraine. The training, fully funded by EUBAM’s British partners, covered topics such as maritime legislation, maritime threats, fishery rules and regulations, maritime save and rescue techniques, and maritime policing.

At EUBAM headquarters in Odessa yesterday, representatives from Interpol, Europol, and EUBAM’s partner services in Moldova and Ukraine assessed the results of the Joint Border Control Operation (JBCO) PODOLIA that was carried out at key locations on the common Ukrainian-Moldovan border during autumn 2012.

Aimed at increasing the effectiveness of border and customs control, preventing and combating trans-border crimes, and enhancing inter-agency and international cooperation, PODOLIA is the 10th JBCO to have been coordinated by EUBAM together with its partners in Moldova and Ukraine, international organisations and law enforcement authorities of EU Member States.

The operation was supported by the National Coordination Bureau of Interpol in Kiev, Europol, SELEC, WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Office Eastern and Central Europe (RILO/ECE), BLKA (Bavarian Police), Frontex and several EU Member State border and customs authorities such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, as well as liaison officers from Poland, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.

JBCO PODOLIA used special Task Force Teams that operated at selected border crossing points and inland customs points targeting specific types of crime. Yesterday’s participants considered the JBCO a success in all key areas: strengthening border and customs control at the border and inland locations, enhancing cooperation between Moldovan and Ukrainian law enforcement bodies, and between the partner services and international organisations/agencies, as well as ensuring an adequate response to identified threats.

JBCO PODOLIA has obviously achieved its goals and proved to be an effective operational technique worth to pursue.