EN

Applying the Global Approach to Migration to the Eastern and South-Eastern Regions Neighbouring the European Union

In December 2005, the European Council adopted the Global Approach to Migration. It initially focused on Africa and the Mediterranean region. In its Conclusions of December 2006[1], the European Council called on the Commission "to make proposals on enhanced dialogue and concrete measures" with regard to applying the Global Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU. This Communication responds to that invitation. It suggests an approach based on the 'migratory route' concept (see Annex I for a glossary of all terms used in this text and an explanation of acronyms).

The main focus of this Communication is the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU which, in the view of the Commission, comprise:

Turkey, the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, including Kosovo[2]); the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) partner countries in Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus[3]) and the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia); and the Russian Federation.

In implementing this Communication, recommendations that relate directly to these countries should be considered in the first instance. However, applying the Global Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU according to the concept of 'migratory routes' also requires consideration of countries of origin and transit further afield. Attention must therefore also be paid to:

Middle Eastern ENP partner countries (Syria, Jordan and Lebanon), Iran and Iraq; Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan); and Asian countries of origin such as China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

For these countries and regions, this Communication provides recommendations for the more medium to long term.

With all the countries listed the Community has an institutional framework in place within which political and economic dialogue and cooperation relations have been established, generally including the area of migration. An account of these frameworks has been given in this Communication for each group of countries. In some cases, dialogue and cooperation on migration and related areas (such as employment and education) are already very developed. Any potential reinforcement of dialogue and cooperation on migration should build on existing dialogue and cooperation, while fully integrating related questions and actors notably in the area of labour migration. Annex II gives an indicative list of many ongoing cooperation projects in the field of migration, visas and border control funded by the EC in these countries, and it is important that such cooperation continues to be highlighted and given visibility.

In applying the Global Approach, a comprehensive analysis is required of legal and illegal movements, global labour supply and demand, labour migration and the management of economic migration, and the need for international protection. Migratory routes, trends and potential changes of routes also need to be examined. Annex III provides some preliminary conclusions on the region in this regard as well as various sets of statistics. The importance of this region for the EU is already clear. Around one third of all third country nationals living in the EU are nationals from Eastern and South-Eastern neighbouring countries and the Russian Federation. Eastern enlargement of the EU in 2004 and 2007 has changed the legal basis of cross-border commuting and migration for many neighbouring countries, while the benefits of EU membership that translate into high economic growth and job opportunities are making the new Member States more attractive to migration from their eastern neighbours. Neighbouring countries are experiencing the effects of both brain gain and brain drain, and the net benefits help mitigate pressures in terms of high unemployment and low income that often result from the difficulties of political and economic transition.

It should be noted that Latin America and the Caribbean have not yet been addressed in the context of the Global Approach to Migration, although migration is part of regular political dialogue with this region. Given the growing importance of migration-related issues in relations with Latin American and Caribbean countries, the Commission will additionally address the issue of migration with its partners during the preparation of the next EU/LAC Summit (Lima, May 2008). This will be done in a way that is consistent with the Global Approach and that also permits implementation of commitments taken by both sides at the Vienna Summit of May 2006.

2. Countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU

In developing the Global Approach with African countries, various tools have proved useful in engaging with partner countries, such as migration profiles and cooperation platforms on migration and development (see Annex I). These tools may be relevant in applying the Global Approach to the Eastern and South-Eastern regions. However, their use needs to be considered on a country-by-country and/or regional basis, in particular taking into account existing frameworks and relations with the countries and regions concerned, where their application could add value. Moreover, this Communication should be read in conjunction with the Communication on Circular migration and mobility partnerships between the European Union and third countries, adopted simultaneously.

2.1. Turkey and the Western Balkans [4]

2.1.1. Current framework for dialogue

Migration issues with Turkey – which has had an Association Agreement with the EU since 1963 – are covered by the 2006 Accession Partnership.

In the case of the Western Balkans, migration issues are covered by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), which is the contractual relationship framework established or being established with each of them[5]. Moreover, migration issues are covered - often in some detail - in the relevant European or Accession Partnerships (in the case of Croatia and Turkey). The implementation of the Partnerships is monitored mainly through the annual Progress Reports and the meetings with the countries concerned. Migration issues are also discussed in the framework of the yearly JLS Ministerial with the Western Balkans countries.

As regards the candidate countries Croatia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, migration issues are discussed in depth in the relevant sub-committee meetings and may be raised in the context of the Association Committee and Council. In the context of accession negotiations with Croatia and Turkey, migration issues have been screened and are monitored inter alia in the Justice, Freedom and Security as well as Free Movement of Workers chapters.

Regarding the other countries in the region, migration issues are dealt with in the context of specific policy advice and monitoring processes (Consultative Task Force with Albania, Reform Monitoring Process in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Enhanced Permanent Dialogue in the cases of Montenegro and Serbia), including through technical group meetings. In relation to Kosovo, these issues are dealt with in the context of the Stabilisation and Association Process Tracking Mechanism (STM).

The South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) has an increasingly important role as a forum for regional cooperation in the whole South-Eastern European region, and includes cooperation on JLS matters. The SEECP is involved in the process of creating a new regional framework, which will be the regionally owned successor of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe.

All candidate countries or countries with a recognised EU accession perspective are already fully engaged in adopting the EU acquis. To help ensure that this process proceeds without delays and that meanwhile flows along the South-Eastern migratory routes are better managed, the following actions are proposed as general priorities.

2.1.2. Recommendations

· To complement dialogue on migration in bilateral and regional fora, national and sub-regional cooperation platforms on migration could further facilitate the dialogue between all actors involved, drawing experience from the MARRI Initiative.

· Dialogue with candidate and partner country authorities should include discussion of how the developmental impact of migration can help strengthen stability and foster growth in the region. Policies to prevent brain drain should be developed, such as investment in training and capacity-building to improve working conditions and to increase work opportunities, thereby helping prevent skilled workers from leaving. Ways of reducing the costs of remittance transfers and enhancing their impact on the development of countries in this region should be further analysed. Study visits of experts should be arranged to foster contacts and stimulate direct cooperation between administrations and to examine institutional capacity. Workshops could also be organised on different aspects of the migration and development agenda. Finally, initiatives aimed at connecting highly skilled migrants such as scientific researchers with their countries of origin should be encouraged.

· Opportunities for circular migration should be increased, while taking into account existing short-term seasonal cross-border movements in the region. Except for Croatia which already enjoys a visa-free regime with the EU, visa regimes in the region need to be further improved and harmonised in order to enable labour circulation. The feasibility of offering a wider range of exchange programmes to researchers or students should also be explored. Due consideration should also be given to ensuring migrants are properly prepared for departure, in terms of having a realistic idea of life and labour opportunities in the EU. Training or special programmes and labour matching would assist in this process. Migration Portals will play a key role here and will be operational by the end of 2007. Following an evaluation of experience with existing Migration Service Centres, these could be replicated. The establishment of focal points in each Ministry of Labour or Interior Ministry would help with the formulation of appropriate policy responses that are well balanced between labour needs and the security aspects of migration. On short-term visas, the implementation of the Community Visa Facilitation Agreements so far initialled with some Western Balkans countries will contribute to the improvement and simplification of visa issuing procedures for certain categories of citizens of these countries.

· Legislation on asylum and refugee protection should be strengthened or supplemented to provide comprehensive legal safeguards for the rights of persons who may need international protection. Montenegro and Serbia have yet to enact basic asylum laws and should be encouraged to do so. Turkey has still to amend its main legislation on asylum in line with the relevant acquis, to ensure its effective implementation, and to establish an administrative capacity in line with EU best practices. In all states, further efforts are needed to ensure that appropriate legal provisions are implemented in practice.

· The fight against illegal migration and trafficking in human beings must be reinforced. FRONTEX should further develop its existing relations with countries in the region to this end. Technical assistance to partner countries, which would include further training of border guards and immigration officials as well as developing reliable statistics on reported cases, should be provided using instruments such as IPA or twinning and TAIEX. Certain actions relating to border control and migration management in EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries could also be supported under the IPA. The EC readmission agreements with the Western Balkans countries must be implemented and the EC readmission agreement with Turkey must be concluded without delay[6].

· The EU needs to promote closer regional multidisciplinary law enforcement cooperation in combating organised crime, in particular through enhanced cooperation between Europol and the SECI Centre in Bucharest. In this regard a Memorandum of Understanding between Europol and SECI shall be concluded addressing in particular trafficking in human beings, while an operational cooperation agreement is the long term objective.

2.2. European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries in Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus

2.2.1. Current framework for dialogue

The framework for relations with the countries of Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus is the ENP. Although indirectly mentioned in the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), which form the legal basis of the EC's relationship with these countries, cooperation on migration, visa issues, asylum, border management and other related economic and social issues feature in all of the ENP Action Plans which have been agreed with eastern partners. Some of these partner countries also have their own National Action Programme on these issues. In the case of Ukraine, there is a separate JLS Action Plan – which is equivalent to that section of the Action Plans agreed with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova – and the Commission is also working with Ukraine on the basis of a scoreboard, based on the JLS Action Plan, which contains benchmarks.

Migration issues are already discussed in depth with Moldova and Ukraine in relevant sub-committees and are also raised at the regular EU-Ukraine JLS ministerial troika as well as during meetings of the Cooperation Committee and Cooperation Council. A similar approach is followed in the case of the three Southern Caucasus countries whose Action Plans were adopted in November 2006. With each country, dialogue and cooperation progress at a different pace based on their capacity, size (particularly relevant in the case of Ukraine) and situation. While Belarus is a case apart[7], technical cooperation on matters relating to border issues, migration and organised crime is possible on the basis of working-level contacts with Belarusian officials and within the framework of regional dialogue and programmes.

2.2.2. Recommendations

Relations with individual countries of course differ, but short-term priorities should include the following:

· Although the necessary dialogue framework at bilateral level already exists with all of these countries (except Belarus), actual dialogue on these issues needs to begin with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the context of their ENP Action Plans, whereas for Moldova and Ukraine the existing dialogue is being deepened. Although relations with Belarus are constrained, expert-level contacts on migration issues should be initiated. Such dialogue is also important for addressing the problem of xenophobia and its impact on migration and integration.

· At the regional level where migration and related issues are addressed, experience could be drawn from the Söderköping and Budapest processes. Support for improvement of partner countries’ capacity to treat illegal migrants in accordance with international standards should also be strengthened. This might be in relation to custody of illegal migrants and the needs of victims of trafficking and other vulnerable persons, as well as international refugee protection standards where these countries have obligations (i.a. as members of the Council of Europe) but effective asylum and refugee protection laws, processes and practices are still lacking. Work should continue with relevant organisations, including on reintegration of returnees.

· In promoting a comprehensive approach to migration, the Black Sea region is of particular importance in terms of transit migration and trafficking. Using the cooperation structures in the Baltic Sea as a source of inspiration, of the feasibility of setting up a regional cooperation platform should be explored, which will bring together relevant EU Member States, EU agencies, other countries bordering the Black Sea and regional organisations such as SECI, the BSEC, the Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (TF-OC) and the Black Sea Forum, in an effort to better manage migration. In this context, information sharing could be promoted and patrol and surveillance activities could be coordinated. EU contributions can range from training (twinning) of law enforcement officials to cooperation with FRONTEX and Europol, and from issues such as social protection and training of officials for labour matters to rehabilitation of victims of trafficking.

· As the Commission explained in its December 2006 Communication, mobility of persons is of the utmost importance for ENP partners and also for the EU, in order to fully deliver on this foreign policy priority. The Commission therefore suggested that there should be a "very serious examination of how visa procedures can be made less of an obstacle to legitimate travel from neighbouring countries to the EU (and vice versa)…in the context of broader packages to address related (JLS) issues". Consequently, mobility partnerships for these countries must be considered, including in particular possibilities for visa facilitation, work permits and information related to seasonal labour market needs within the EU. The feasibility of such a partnership with Ukraine, amongst others, should be explored as a priority.

· In addition, visa facilitation should be provided for non-work purposes (i.e. business, educational and tourism purposes) and for officials attending relevant reform-related meetings, as is already possible within the existing Common Consular Instructions. The Commission now strongly recommends that this be applied, particularly by those Member States in which most relevant meetings take place (i.e. those hosting the EU institutions and those holding the rotating Presidency). In particular, the Commission would call for this to be done, with immediate effect, for people travelling on 'EU business' (which represents a very small proportion of visa applications), for which it will provide letters of recommendation to and continue to work with the relevant EU Member State Embassy or Consulate.

· Migrants' remittances are also of importance in this region, with Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine among the most remittance-dependent countries in the world. Opportunities to reduce transaction costs of remittances and to enhance their impact on the development of the country of origin should be explored (recalling that remittances are private in nature). Equally, ways to stimulate the socio-economic development of these countries by preventing further brain drain, facilitating the voluntary return of (highly) skilled persons and encouraging the large diasporas to contribute to the development of their country of origin need to be supported. Initiatives aimed at connecting highly skilled migrants such as scientific researchers with their countries of origin should be encouraged.

· Attention should be given to the conclusion of readmission agreements. A readmission agreement has already been initialled with Ukraine and negotiations have been completed with Moldova with the aim of having the agreement enter into force as soon as possible during 2007. Initiating negotiations with the other countries should also be considered in the future. For those that have such agreements with the EU, the focus should then be on their capacity to implement those agreements, as well as encouragement to reach similar agreements with their own Eastern and South-Eastern neighbours.

· While already receiving substantial Community support, capacity-building for these countries should be strengthened, whether in relation to the management of their own borders (or law enforcement in general) or in increasing their cooperation with each other (Ukraine clearly faces particular challenges related to its location and size and the nature of its border controls; Belarus has expressed interest in cooperation on border protection and organised crime, while the effective work on tackling trafficking from Belarus could be further strengthened). The existing EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) on the Moldova-Ukraine border is a good example. These initiatives need to be coherent with ongoing efforts to fight corruption and organised crime.

· Gaps in legislative and institutional frameworks and the national capacity to collect data and monitor migratory flows may need to be further highlighted. Relevant technical assistance could be provided, for example for the security of travel documents, residence permits and visa stickers, and the civil information systems on which they rely. Efforts to improve document security will need to profit from latest developments in using biometrics. In addition, technical assistance schemes could incorporate the creation of specific labour information, training and educational centres.

2.3. Russian Federation

2.3.1. Current framework for dialogue

The gradual development of the Road Map of the Common Space on Freedom, Security and Justice, adopted in May 2005, takes place within the framework of the EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation agreement. Biannual meetings of the EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers monitor the overall implementation of this Common Space. In addition, informal dialogue and expert level meetings take place. Our strategic partnership is based on common values which underpin EU-Russia relations as enshrined in the Partnership and Cooperation agreement and in the Road Map. They explicitly foresee the strengthening of our cooperation through respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the EU Member States and Russia which, being a member of the Council of Europe, must respect the provisions contained in the European Convention on Human Rights.

2.3.2. Recommendations

Since the dissolution of the USSR, Russia has been a major destination for refugees and economic migrants from neighbouring countries as well as a country with large numbers of internally displaced persons. Recently, it has also become a major transit country for migration movements mainly from south-east Asia, China and Afghanistan towards Western Europe. Cooperation with Russia on migration policy and movement of persons is therefore a matter of growing relevance.

· There is a need to deepen a comprehensive dialogue with Russia on all migration-related issues, including asylum, the fight against illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings, labour migration and all relevant social aspects of migration. Enhancing the exchange of experience between EU Member States and Russia on the management of labour migration would be particularly fruitful.

· Implementation of the priorities set out by the Road Map of the Common Space should be intensified, namely the objectives of exchanging information on migration management policies and best practices including the assessment of statistics and to cooperate as appropriate in relation to third countries. In this context, cooperation between the relevant authorities in charge of implementation of the readmission and visa facilitation agreements should be encouraged, with close monitoring of the implementation process, contributing to a more effective fight against illegal immigration while easing people-to-people contacts. Moreover, as set up in the Common Space, dialogue to examine the conditions for visa-free travel as a long-term objective has commenced. This newly established framework could be used to explore ways to intensify relations in other areas related to migration.

· Concerns related to Russian legislation implementing the 1951 Refugee Convention need to be addressed through the strengthening of cooperation on asylum with the Russian Federation. There is also the need to improve protection of internally displaced persons in line with international standards, not least to avoid pressure on the asylum systems of neighbouring countries.

· The exchange of information on the legislative framework in relation to all forms of trafficking in human beings should be promoted, including in the context of the TF-OC. In particular, the implementation of the Europol-Russia Cooperation Agreement of 2003 on combating different forms of transnational criminal activities should be intensified. Further support should also be given to the work of the TF-OC in combating trafficking in human beings, as a tool to improve regional multidisciplinary law enforcement cooperation in the Baltic Sea region and in particular with the Russian Federation. Ways of strengthening the roles of Europol and FRONTEX in the Baltic Sea region should be explored.

· Effective operational cooperation as foreseen by the Terms of Reference between FRONTEX and the Russian Border Guard Service is important, in particular for promoting best practices in border management.

3. Other regions

3.1. Eastern Mediterranean ENP partner countries (Syria, Lebanon and Jordan) and other Middle Eastern countries (Iran and Iraq)

3.1.1. Current framework for dialogue

As regards Lebanon and Jordan, migration and related issues are discussed in the relevant sub-Committees on Migration and Social Affairs in the framework of the respective Association Agreements and the ENP Action Plans. The Action Plan with Lebanon includes specific references to cooperation in the field of migration and border management, partnership with FRONTEX, the possibility of better managing labour migration and visa facilitation. The Jordan Action Plan contains a section on migration issues, including the possibility of discussing cooperation on transit migration, asylum as well as visa issues. Border management is another priority in the Action Plans of both countries. There is no formal bilateral dialogue with Syria under the current Cooperation Agreement. The Euro Mediterranean Partnership, in which Lebanon, Jordan and Syria participate, also provides for a regional dialogue on migration between the EU and partner countries. There is no framework for dialogue with Iran[8], and no official dialogue on migration and related issues with Iraq[9].

3.1.2. Recommendations

· Dialogue with Lebanon and Jordan on migration, visa, asylum and border management issues will be actively pursued within the framework of the respective sub-committee meetings, and according to the priorities set out in the ENP Action Plans. As regards Syria, a bilateral dialogue on migration will be initiated once the Association Agreement is signed.

· Given the growing importance of refugee issues in these countries, particularly in regard to the conflict in Iraq and its impact on its neighbours, and taking into account the fact that so far most refugees are being accommodated by their host countries (Jordan and Syria being the largest with 750,000 and 1 million refugees respectively), the EU has to be ready to further support and participate in the relevant regional dialogue or cooperation initiatives. In their relations with Jordan and Syria, the EU and its Member States should continue to promote conditions that allow the international community to provide humanitarian assistance and international protection, including support through rehabilitation and other programmes.

· Iran should be encouraged to play a more active role in cooperating with its neighbours (in particular Turkey and the Southern Caucasus, but also Pakistan and Afghanistan) in the prevention and prosecution of smuggling and trafficking in human beings. Pilot forms of concrete cooperation at technical level could be explored.

· All these countries should also be encouraged to ratify where necessary and implement the Geneva Convention and the UNTOC and its supplementing Protocols.

3.2. Central Asia

3.2.1. Current framework for dialogue

Migration and related issues are discussed in the Justice and Home Affairs sub-Committee meetings foreseen with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan within the framework of the respective PCA. Migration is also discussed in the EU-Kyrgyzstan PCA Cooperation Committee. However, there is no formal bilateral dialogue on migration with Turkmenistan and Tajikistan as yet. Regional dialogue on migration between the EU and Central Asia exists in addition to the meetings mentioned above. In time, the EU may want to ensure that migration issues are mainstreamed into the political and economic dialogue with countries of Central Asia.

3.2.2. Recommendations

· Further cooperation could be explored in the field of border management, along the lines of the BOMCA project, or by other ongoing projects in the area of labour migration management.

· Technical assistance could be considered for countries in the region to cooperate further with the EU, Turkey and the Eastern ENP partner countries in the prevention of illegal immigration and the fight against smuggling and trafficking in human beings.

· Partner countries should also be encouraged to ratify where necessary and implement the Geneva Convention and the UNTOC and its supplementing Protocols.

3.3. Asian countries of origin

3.3.1. Current framework for dialogue

The political framework for co-operation with Asia is the 2001 Communication on Europe and Asia: A Strategic Framework for Enhanced Partnerships[10], which foresees the strengthening of our dialogue and cooperation with Asia in a number of areas, including justice and home affairs issues, which includes visas, asylum, immigration and other policies related to the free movement of persons, as well as social policy and global challenges and opportunities. The Commission considers that political and economic dialogue needs to be stepped up at the regional level, in fora such as ASEAN and ASEM, as well as bilaterally.

As for China, high-level consultations take place regularly with the Community on questions concerning the fight against illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings, focussing on information exchange and confidence building measures. It is in this context that information is exchanged on legislation introduced by the two sides and that exploratory talks on readmission take place, alongside discussions on legal means of travelling to and in Europe.

3.3.2. Recommendations

In addition to migration and development related issues, areas such as visa, asylum, immigration and other policies related to the free movement of persons are assuming increasing importance in our relations with Asia, notably against the background of increasing trade relations, including trade in services; demographic change, with strong population increase in most of Asia contrasting with population decline in Europe; and increasing scope for labour migration and for matching labour supply and demand at the global level in some sectors of the economy. This is documented by the rise in immigration from the region, the development of dialogue on these issues, the inclusion of migration in the new Cooperation Agreements with the South-East Asian countries, and the development of global initiatives such as the Bali process. In addition, some countries receive special attention because of the priority given to them by the EU under the readmission policy. These are countries or entities with which the Community has concluded a readmission agreement (Hong Kong, Macao and Sri Lanka), is in the process of concluding one (Pakistan) or intends to negotiate one (China). The EU has also launched bilateral and multilateral dialogue with Asia on questions related to labour migration, including employment, social policy and education. While continuing to address the root causes of emigration from third countries in this region as a starting point, therefore:

· Ongoing readmission negotiations and initiatives related to the fight against smuggling of and trafficking in human beings need to be further supported.

· In a medium term perspective, dialogue on all migration issues should become a standard aspect of political and economic dialogue with countries in the region. Full use should be made of the opportunities afforded by dialogue in the ASEM framework and its virtual secretariat currently being established to exchange information and best practice on migration issues.

· Consideration must be given to the potential of labour migration from Asia. Increased and well-managed mobility for certain categories of persons from the countries of this region can be of high importance to the EU as well as to the socio-economic development of the countries themselves. Labour migration has been an important issue on the agenda of the newly established EU-India dialogue, and there are opportunities to widen the dialogue with China, in both sides’ interest, beyond the current focus on illegal migration and tourist flows so as to facilitate mobility. An exchange on labour migration has also been initiated in the context of ASEM, and the scope for closer dialogue and cooperation with ASEAN in this area is currently being explored. The Commission therefore suggests testing the ground with selected countries in the region via mobility partnerships.

4. Improving coordination

Many varying initiatives are already being taken in view of promoting migration management in neighbouring and more distant countries and regions. Considering that the value of the Global Approach would increase if more coherence and complementarity between these initiatives was ensured, the Commission proposes that Member States contribute initially to completing the list of all the Community initiatives in the countries and regions covered by this Communication (see Annex I) with the list of their own national initiatives, so that a more complete picture of the current situation can be established.

In addition, more can be done to understand the size and characteristics of migratory flows from the East and South-East. Information available is not systematically assembled or used. Several organisations hold valuable information for the various areas that are part of the comprehensive approach to migration. An initiative to establish an information exchange network between FRONTEX, EUROPOL, IOM, ICMPD, ILO, various UN Agencies – UNDP, UNHCR and UNODC in particular – and other international and regional organisations, such as SECI, could be considered.

Given the importance of trafficking in and smuggling of human beings, a more coordinated approach is needed in order to drive forward policy initiatives to tackle the phenomenon. Concrete initiatives could include further expanding inventories of existing initiatives (as already prepared by the Alliance Against Trafficking), enhancing dialogue with third countries on promoting effective anti-trafficking policies, and addressing specific areas of concern such as the protection of victims of trafficking in particular women and children. Moreover, the EU should consider actively participating in ongoing global initiatives, such as the UN Inter-Agency Cooperation Group on Human Trafficking (ICAT). The recently adopted programme on the 'Prevention of and fight against crime' allows for financial support of projects in priority domains such as prevention, protection and assistance to victims and prosecution and punishment of offenders.

In addressing illegal flows, FRONTEX should be given a more prominent role, while ensuring coherence and coordination between its activities and the EU's overall external relations policy. Geographical priorities of the Agency in 2007 include development of cooperation with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, the Western Balkans and Asian countries, in particular China, Pakistan and India. With the strategy and work programme now in place, FRONTEX must be given the resources it requires to carry out its mandate effectively and Member States need to ensure they have adequate resources available for participation in FRONTEX joint operations and risk analysis as necessary. The possibility of the RABIT being applied on the Eastern and South-Eastern borders is also recommended. FRONTEX should further develop appropriate intelligence methodologies to ensure reliable risk analysis, and should also be encouraged to take part in projects, meetings, conferences and training with third countries.

A more coordinated approach is also needed to ensure improvements in the management of labour migration. Initiatives in this area need to involve all relevant actors, notably trade, labour and education ministries and other stakeholders including social partners. Concrete initiatives should assess and project global labour supply and demand by skill level and address related questions such as the recognition of skills and qualifications, labour market access, integration of migrants, the promotion and facilitation of new forms of migration such as temporary and circular migration, and capacity-building of employment services in third countries. Initiatives would relate closely to the promotion of decent work for all in the context of migration.

EU Member States could increase the number of Immigration Liaison Officers (ILOs) in the region and develop ILO networks on key migratory routes. The Community can contribute to these efforts through the European Borders Fund.

The establishment of common visa application centres – like the one opened in Moldova with the cooperation of Austria, Hungary, Latvia and Slovenia and soon Estonia and Denmark – could also help to share service provision among Member States. Furthermore, the regional roll-out of the Visa Information System could be an incentive to enhance representation by Member States and the setting up of common visa application centres in this region.

The EU and its Member States are intensifying their activities in support of third countries to better manage migration. The EC TAIEX instrument for short-term expert assignments plays an important role in making available the experts required to third countries, also in other JLS areas. The mandate of the office is however currently limited to the candidate countries and the countries covered by the ENP. New forms of cooperation could be explored in the future.

5. Conclusion

The Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU are important as regards legal and illegal migration both between countries in the region and to the EU. Dialogue and cooperation on migration is already well advanced with many of the countries in these regions, especially as regards the fight against illegal immigration. Applying the Global Approach to these regions requires that, within the means available, cooperation is further developed, balanced and extended – notably in better addressing issues related to mobility and the development dimension of migration –to allow the EU to gain credibility in the eyes of its partners and to reach the next stage of cooperation with them.

In a first stage, the Commission considers it essential that, using the frameworks in place for discussing migration, dialogue and agreements on mobility issues be enhanced in the EU's relations with ENP partner countries. In order to deliver on this policy priority, an assessment of current visa procedures should be conducted and practical measures to facilitate mobility for key categories of travellers available under current visa regimes should be explored by the end of 2007. Given the shift in the EU's borders following enlargement, promoting regional cooperation with and within the Black Sea region, especially in the areas of border control and the fight against illegal immigration, now requires specific attention. Cooperation with the Russian Federation should also continue and be intensified. In addition, dialogue and cooperation with countries and regions of origin further east will continue to be enhanced.

A key objective in applying the Global Approach to these regions is the need to maintain policy coherence and to ensure complementarity with ongoing dialogue and cooperation initiatives on migration and related areas already taking place in the overall context of EU external relations policy. In close collaboration and coordination with Member States and all other actors involved, the Commission will ensure this coherence and complementarity and appropriate follow-up, with a timetable where possible, for the coordination of the Global Approach in these regions.

Annex II:
Examples of EU cooperation with and assistance to countries covered by the Communication

This Annex aims to provide an overview of the cooperation which has been established until now in the field of migration and asylum by the EU and the European and Asiatic countries which are located along the migratory routes on the Eastern and South-Eastern flanks of the EU. The list is indicative and by no means exhaustive.

The Annex presents the projects which have been funded by the European Commission in these countries in the field of asylum, migration, border management and visa policy.

As regards the information included, it should be underlined that:

a) only those projects that were committed through programmes of the previous EU financial framework (2000-2006) are included in the list;

b) projects related to development of border infrastructures or addressing customs services or the police forces generically (not specifically the border police) are not included in the list; and

c) projects addressing the root causes of migration or trafficking in human beings are not listed.

The information presented should be used actively. Other donors can more easily see what the EC has been funding up to now, whereas we stimulate our implementing partners to take this information available on past projects into account when drafting proposals for future activities.

1. Countries in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions neighbouring the EU

1.1 The Western Balkans and Turkey

Regional

Project Name	Establishment of EU compatible legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks in the fields of asylum, migration and visa matters (CARDS/2003/077-352)
Location	Western Balkans
Implementation period	January 2004 – February 2006
Implementing Partner	Swedish Migration Board, together with ICMPD, IOM, UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 3.000.000 / € 3.000.000
Funding Programme	CARDS
Responsible DG	ELARG
Description	The objectives of the project were to contribute to a better strategic and technical understanding of EU standards and the best practices in the field of asylum, migration and visa; to support the development of a regional strategy, based upon benchmarks that translate a set of commonly accepted EU technical standards, practices and principles; to contribute in the development of detailed national strategies together with implementation action plans; to contribute to institution and capacity building. The project also promoted the creation of a regional network among the officials in the 5 countries of the region.

Project Name	Support to and coordination of Integrated Border Management Strategies in the Western Balkans (CARDS/2004/081-242)
Location	Western Balkans
Implementation period	January 2005 – April 2007
Implementing Partner	France, Austria, OSCE, ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.999.984
Funding Programme	CARDS
Responsible DG	ELARG
Description	The project provided assistance to the countries for the development of their national Integrated Border Management strategies and Action Plans in order to ensure that these are coherent and effectively co-ordinated at the regional level. The project has contributed to this process by raising awareness and understanding of the concepts and relevant EU standards and best practice, as listed in the IBM Guidelines for Western Balkans. The assistance has supported a multidisciplinary approach, including support to border police, customs, veterinary and phyto-sanitary inspection services, as well as to other services involved in border management issues.

Project Name	Fostering sustainable reintegration in Albania, the Kosovo province and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, by reinforcing local NGO capacity service provision to returnees (2002/HLWG/003)
Location	Albania, the Kosovo province and the FYR of Macedonia
Implementation period	November 2003 – November 2005
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 700.759,69 / € 560.607,76
Funding Programme	B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	This project focused on new mechanisms and the development of existing ones for return and reintegration through support to local NGOs (service provision and counselling capacities). The IOM offices in Western Europe defined a list of potential returnees and were able to develop a database. The project was then pursued in Albania, Kosovo and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, by workshops for local NGOs. Reintegration services could then be provided: for instance a reintegration package was defined. Another component of the project was the development of different campaigns to raise public awareness of the targeted areas.

Project Name	Network of immigration liaison officers (ILO) in the Western Balkans (Albania and surrounding region) (2002/HLWG/013)
Location	Albania and surrounding region
Implementation period	November 2002 –December 2003
Implementing Partner	Commissariaat General - Beleid Internationale Politiesamenverking, Belgium
Budget/EC contribution	€ 729.500 / € 429.750
Funding Programme	B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	This project implemented by the Belgian authorities aimed at creating an Immigration Liaison Officers’ network (ILO) in the Western Balkans in order to structure and consolidate exchange of information and possible co-operation between the ILOs in the Western Balkans as well as with other important partners and local authorities. The added value of this project was the possible harmonisation of activities, the updated knowledge and the definition of policy guidelines in this field in the Western Balkans.

Project Name	Promoting regular migration in the Western Balkans through establishment of regional migrant service centres providing information and migration related services” (2003/HLWG/051)
Location	Western Balkans
Implementation period	December 2004 – June 2006
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 815.119,64 / € 652.095,71
Funding Programme	B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	The aim was to promote orderly labour migration flows and related awareness-raising through the creation of the first regional network of Migration Services Centres (MSCs) in the Western Balkans. The project contributed to establish and run 6 MSCs (Skopje, Prishtina, Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo, and Tirana, the last one having been created before the project and representing a model for the others) and a website, through which not only would be migrants, but also people interested to return and reintegration, were provided counselling.

Project Name	Training Action for the Balkans: Three intensive seminars on Asylum and International Protection for 120 civil servants (2005/103474)
Location	Western Balkans
Implementation period	December 2005 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	ERA- Académie de Droit Européen
Budget/EC contribution	€ 641.643 / € 512.617
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Three seminars, one week each, will give a general overview of all the issues related to the migration and asylum, in particular: legal migration; dialogue on migratory flows; readmission and reintegration of the returnees; illegal migration.

Project Name	Strong Institutions and a Unified Approach in the Asylum, Migration and Visa Management in the Western Balkans (2006/120-144)
Location	Western Balkans
Implementation period	January 2007 – October 2008
Implementing Partner	Migrationsverket
Budget/EC contribution	€ 625.000 / € 500.000
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	A better management of all aspects of migration flows in the region by regulating and facilitating legal migration and curbing illegal migration in the Western Balkan Countries.

Project Name	Development of communication and information exchange systems on illegal migration in the Western Balkan region (2006/120-275)
Location	Western Balkans
Implementation period	January 2007 – June 2008
Implementing Partner	Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Hungary - Office of EU Co-ordination and ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 625.000 / € 500.000
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	To assist the five SAp countries in the WB region in their efforts to developing a system for exchanging communication and information on illegal migration, and more particularly focussed on the preparation of the WB countries to the use of ICONET system and to the participation in the CIREFI group.

Albania

Project Name	National Strategy on Migration (CARDS/2003/71910)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	September 2003 – July 2005
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.249.989 / € 1.000.000
Funding Programme	CARDS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Tirana
Description	The project addressed the need for reform in the field of migration management in Albania through the development of a national strategy on migration.

Project Name	'Establishment of EU compatible legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks? '(CARDS)
Location	Albania
Funding Programme	CARDS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Tirana
Description	CARDS 2002-3 promoted the establishment of EU compatible legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks in the fields of asylum, migration and visa matters.

Project Name	Sustainable return, reintegration and development in Albania through consolidated preparatory actions for migration management (2001/HLWG/102)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	April 2002 – December 2003
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 835.885,00 / € 635.883
Funding Programme	HLWG – B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	This project aimed to develop and strengthen regional capacities to manage irregular migration flows into, through and from Albania. This has been achieved by establishing the necessary mechanisms to facilitate the voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of 175 victims of trafficking and illegal migrants stranded in Albania in their countries of origin such as Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine. The project was instrumental for the establishment of a National Reception Centre (NRC). It served as a preparatory measure working towards the long-term development of a sustainable migration management system.

Project Name	Upgrading the border control system of Albania along European standards (2001/HLWG/124)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	December 2001 – April 2003
Implementing Partner	ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 551.649,43 / € 441.320
Funding Programme	HLWG – B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	This project aimed to develop a blueprint for a border guarding system and a master plan for its realisation. In order to achieve these goals, ICMPD worked closely with the Albanian authorities to establish an International Border Guarding Task Force. The project also elaborated jointly with the Albanian authorities an action plan which was the basis for later funding by the programme CARDS, thanks to the blueprint of the Albanian border system provided.

Project Name	Developing of the asylum system in Albania (2001/HLWG/127 and 2004/81185)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	January 2002 – June 2006
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 764.438, 87 / € 732.088 (B7-667) €2.000.000 / € 2.000.000 (2004/81185)
Funding Programme	HLWG – B7-667 CARDS
Responsible DG	JLS and EC DEL Tirana
Description	The overall objective of these projects was to set up a functioning and effective mechanism for asylum and refugee protection in Albania. This projects work along the lines of a three-stage process: pre-procedure (access), procedure (refugee status determination) and post-procedure (durable solutions). In term of access to the asylum system, fair and efficient procedures for the border regime, consistent with International and European protection standards, are being developed and implemented.

Project Name	Migrant Service Centres (CARDS)
Location	Albania
Implementing Partner	IOM
Funding Programme	CARDS 2003
Responsible DG	EC DEL Tirana
Description	Migrant Service Centers were established providing information and migration related service in particular to improve management of labour migration towards Italy.

Project Name	“Combating irregular migration in Albania and the wider region; Targeted support to capacity building within the framework of readmission support to Albania” (2003/HLWG/055)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	December 2004 – June 2006
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 882.345,45; EU grant: € 705.876,36
Funding Programme	HLWG – B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	Relevant Albanian authorities received information on the EU best practices related to management of apprehended illegal migrants, received training (including on foreign languages), were adviced regarding the standards to be respected for the establishement of a reception center for illegal migrants in Albania, for the handling of the latter and for their repatriation to their home countries.

Project Name	Implementation of the readmission agreement (CARDS)
Location	Albania
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2.000.000
Funding Programme	CARDS 2004
Responsible DG	ELARG

Project Name	Building a Mechanism to effectively and sustainable implement readmission agreements between Albania, the EC and third countries (2005/103499)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	December 2005 – April 2008
Implementing Partner	Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation of the Hellenic Republic; IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.818.460 / € 1.454.768
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project supported Albania to identify and manage the return of third country returned illegal migrants and to help reintegration of returned Albanians.

Project Name	W.A.R.M. (2005/103559)
Location	Albania
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	Comune di Roma
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.519.207 / € 1.215.196
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Reintegration of Albanian returnees through their insertion on labour market and through micro-enterprises creation.

Project Name	ALBAMAR (2005/103632)
Location	Albania and Morocco
Implementation period	December 2005 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.668.216 / € 1.334.572
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Definition and implementation of an integrated support to Moroccan and Albanian migrants forcedly or voluntarily repatriated from Italy that are highly exposed to the risks of illegal migration and criminal activities

Project Name	Former et créer un réseau institutionnel pour l’identification, l’accueil et l’intégration durable des personnes en retour
Location	Albania
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	Associazione Centro Europa Per La Scuola Educazione E Societa-Ceses
Budget/EC contribution	€ 834.551 / € 652.443
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Soutenir les institutions albanaises dans le processus de création d’un système efficace de gestion des flux des personnes en retour visé à la mise en œuvre de l’accord de réadmission avec la CE et à l'élimination des causes de l'émigration illégal.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Project Name	Support to Migration Management Capacities (2003/72875 and 2005/115633)
Location	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Implementation period	November 2003 – January 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 870.000 / € 870.000 (2003/72875) € 1.200.000 / € 1.200.000(2005/115633)
Funding Programme	CARDS 2003 and 2005
Responsible DG	DEL Bosnia and Herzegovina
Description	These projects aim at ensuring that the Sector for Immigration and Asylum, established within the Ministry of Security have administrative and procedural capacity that will allow Bosnia and Herzegovina to effectively manage population movements, and develop a migration policy for Bosnia and Herzegovina that will be coordinated by the Ministry of Security and regularly reviewed; to ensure that management structures necessary for the effective implementation of migration policies and legislation, in line with the EU standards and practices are developed; to strengthen the legislative basis for the management of migration processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina by developing new legislation and by-laws and consolidating existing legislation and procedures in line with EU standards and practices and other international norms; to establish a Migration Information System that will allow the Ministry of Security to collect and analyze information about non-citizens that will be used to develop migration policy, visa requirements and improve legislation and procedures.

Project Name	Support to Asylum Management Capacities (2003/072-091 and 2005/109048)
Location	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Implementation period	October 2003 – June 2007
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.000.000 / € 1.000.000 (2003/072-091) € 800.000 / € 800.000 (2005/109048)
Funding Programme	CARDS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Sarajevo
Description	These projects have the following key objective: to establish a clearly identified and independent authority, as a competent “asylum unit” within the competent ministry, with responsibility for examining requests for refugee status and taking decisions on refugee status in the first instance.

Project Name	Strengthening the protection of asylum seekers (2005/103661)
Location	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	VASA PRAVA – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Budget/EC contribution	€ 856.932,56 / € 616.562,98
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Ensuring a maximum protection and access to justice for asylum seekers, recognized refugees and other categories of persons under international protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and victims of human trafficking, ensuring the full access to their rights via the provision of free legal aid and information campaigns.

Project Name	Support to EU support for the implementation of the Integrated Border Management Strategy for Bosnia and Hezegovina (2006/120289)
Location	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Implementation period	May 2006 – April 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.018.016 / € 1.000.000
Funding Programme	CARDS
Responsible DG	DEL Bosnia and Herzegovina
Description	EU support to the Indirect Taxation Agency (ITA), State Border Service, Veterinary and phyto-sanitary and market inspectorates by providing training, study tours and workshops, revision of legislation, and setting up a joint analysis centre.

Croatia

Project Name	Protection of Asylum seekers in the Republic of Croatia and Regio (2005/103578)
Location	Croatia
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	Croatian Law Centre
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.274.842,27 / € 1.000.000
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Strengthening the protection in CRO and region (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro) by developing asylum system consistent with international standards.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Project Name	Enhancement of the asylum management system (2003/01/08)
Location	The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Implementation period	April 2006 – December 2006
Implementing Partner	Transtec (BE)
Budget/EC contribution	€ 160.000 / € 160.000
Funding Programme	CARDS 2003
Responsible DG	ELARG
Description	The programme provides short-term technical assistance in the field of asylum regarding the definition of operational procedures on asylum and the design of an IT platform for the relevant line ministries. The aim of the project is to enhance the asylum management system in the country.
Project Name	Construction of reception centre for asylum seekers (2002/01/14)
Location	The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Implementation period	February 2005 – December 2006
Implementing Partner	GD Granit AD Skopje (MK)
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.850.000 / € 1.850.000
Funding Programme	CARDS 2002
Responsible DG or EC Delegation	ELARG
Description	The project aims to construct a reception centre for asylum seekers. The centre will be located in the vicinity of Skopje and will have an administrative building for registration and administration of asylum seekers and several buildings for hosting asylum seekers. It will be able to host up to 150 persons, but the design includes possible future extension for up to 300 people.

Project Name	Development of immigration and asylum strategy, legislation and action plan (2002/01/14; 2003/01/08)
Location	The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Implementation period	February 2004 – December 2005
Implementing Partner	Charles Kendall & Partners Ltd (UK); B&S Europe (BE)
Budget/EC contribution	€ 160.000 / € 160.000 – CARDS 2002; € 1.000.000 / € 1.000.000 – CARDS 2003
Funding Programme	CARDS 2002 - 2003
Responsible DG or EC Delegation	ELARG
Description	The programme provided technical assistance and training to develop and implement the National Action Plan for Migration and Asylum. The TA team also provided amendments to primary and secondary legislation pertaining to the new Law on Asylum as well as assisted in the development of the new Law on the Movement and Residence of Foreigners. In the framework of the programme, a new project proposal has been launched that will look into the enhancement of the asylum management system in the country.

Serbia[11]

Project Name	Building an Asylum structure in Serbia and Montenegro (2003/HLWG/046)
Location	Serbia and Montenegro
Implementation period	October 2004 – October 2006
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 762.936,02 / € 530.890,77
Funding Programme	B7-667 - HLWG
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	This UNHCR project was designed to assist the authorities in setting up an asylum structure. This implies defining competencies and responsibilities on asylum within the current constitutional framework; Adopting an asylum law at the state level; Putting a functioning body in charge of asylum seekers and refugees; Setting up a fair RSD (Refugee Determination Status) process; Establishing reception centres. The project target is to set up the initial phases of a functioning protection mechanism; a first step, which targets the achievement of the adoption of Refugee legislation and the establishment of reception centres. In March 2005, the asylum law of the SGC at the state level was adopted, but remains incomplete, despite active lobbying during the formulation of the law. Negotiations on defining the best location for the reception centres in Serbia and in Montenegro are ongoing. The target is to have a centre in Serbia with a capacity of accommodating 200 people and of 110 people minimum in Montenegro.

Project Name	Building an Asylum structure in Serbia and Montenegro (2005/103439)
Location	Serbia and Montenegro
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 872.507,41 / € 698.005,92
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Continuation of assistance to Serbia and Montenegro to develop their asylum structures.

Project Name	Employed, Empowered – Serbia (2006/120-073)
Location	Serbia
Implementation period	November 2006 – November 2008
Implementing Partner	Stichting Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe
Budget/EC contribution	€ 699.834 / € 559.867
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The specific objective of the project is to support the durable reintegration of refugees, IDPs and returnees into society by researching solutions enabling them to build up sustainable livelihoods for themselves.

Project Name	Support to the process of readmission through sustainable reintegration of returnees from Western Europe to Serbia and Montenegro (2006/120-168)
Location	Serbia and Montenegro
Implementation period	January 2006 – June 2008
Implementing Partner	Kentro Anaptyxis kai Ekpaidefsis Evropaiki Prooptiki
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.750.404,66 / €1.339.059,56
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Overall objective of the action is support to the process of readmission through sustainable reintegration of returnees from Western Europe to Serbia and Montenegro.

Turkey

Project Name	Support to the Turkish Immigration authorities in the area of asylum (2001/HLWG/115)
Location	Turkey
Implementation period	June 2002- November 2004
Implementing Partner	Bundesamt für die Anerkennung ausländischer Flüchtlinge (BAFL), Germany.
Budget/EC contribution	€ 577.800, 50 / € 457.628,00
Funding Programme	B7-667 – HLWG
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	The aim of this project implemented by the German Bundesamt für die Anerkennung ausländischer Flüchtlinge (BAFL) was to promote partnership with Turkey on migration policy in order to contribute to a better control and prevention of migration flows and to help to combat illegal migration by establishing an effective asylum system. It helped to develop an efficient and balanced migration administration in all fields, in particular the development and establishment of an asylum system, corresponding to the EU acquis. This project has also contributed to a certain extent to the progress in the planning of the new national asylum system and implementation of the EU acquis.

Project Name	Development of the asylum system in Turkey (2001/HLWG/126 and 2002/HLWG/031)
Location	Turkey
Implementation period	April 2002 – May 2005
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 969.417.47; € 775.533.98 (2001/HLWG/126) € 900.420,73 / € 596.800,00 (2002/HLWG/031)
Funding Programme	B7-667 – HLWG
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	The project initially focused on reinforcing the UNHCR branch to carry out the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and building an information system. It also commissioned studies on the best practice of countries that could be a model for Turkey, organised training of officials and strengthened the temporary procedure. It enabled the reduction of the back-log in the management of asylum files and enhanced co-operation between EU MS officials and Turkish officials. The second project covered needs for infrastructure, training and information and aimed at to strengthening the asylum procedure, train government officials and disseminate best practices. It also looked for a deeper involvement of the civil society.

Project Name	Refugee Support Program – Turkey (2006/120-126)
Location	Turkey
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2009
Implementing Partner	Helsinki Yurttaslar Dernegi
Budget/EC contribution	€ 732.340,36 / € 585.854,11
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The Refugee Support Program” of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly aims to develop legislation and national practices as regards international protection and asylum in Turkey, ensuring observance of the principle of "non refoulement" and to improve Turkey's capacity to cope with asylum seekers and refugees. Within this broader objective, the specific objective of the action is to improve asylum seekers' and refugees' access to international protection by improving their reception and detention conditions in Turkey through the provision of comprehensive legal and psychological services; public legal education and refugee empowerment; capacity building for civil society organizations, professionals and government agencies; and lobbying for progressive change in law and policy reflecting refugee rights under EC and international law.

Project Name	Pilot Refugee Application Centre (PRAC) and Screening Unit (SU) (2006/120281)
Location	Turkey
Implementation period	January 2007 – June 2009
Implementing Partner	Immigration and Naturalisation Service the Netherlands
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.753.806 / € 997.915,61
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Implementation of the National Action Plan on asylum and migration. Specific objective: The setting up of a Pilot Refugee Application Centre in Konya including a Screening Unit in Van.

1.2 European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries in Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus

Regional Eastern Europe

Project Name	Dialogue and Technical capacity building in migration management: Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan (2002/ HLWG/004)
Location	Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan
Implementation period	March 2003 – September 2005
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.488.765,15 / € 1.210.654
Funding Programme	B7-667
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project aimed at fostering the dialogue between the Russian Federation and the Central Asiatic Republics, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the field of border and migration management. Meetings between officers of the involved countries, and a study tour, aimed at facilitating coordination, at sharing information and disseminating best practices were organised. Some focus was also placed on improving the management of some segments of the Russian-Kazakh border, where some equipment was delivered and a study tour was organised. The project also assisted the voluntary repatriation of some migrants.

Project Name	Re-direction of the Budapest process activities to the CIS region (2003/HLWG/064 )
Location	Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Implementation period	March 2004 – July 2005
Implementing Partner	ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 760.383,60 / € 587.183,96
Funding Programme	B7-667
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	This project's aim was to collect in a comprehensive and comparable manner information and analysis of irregular flows of migration within, from and through the CIS region. The project sought also to establish a network of senior officials dealing with irregular migration, in order to pave the way for a structured dialogue in the CIS region. The CIS countries are now brought into the framework of the Budapest process and are more aware of migration policies in the EU, by attending conferences with officials from other CIS countries, the EU Member States, the European Commission and international organisations.

Project Name	Towards sustainable partnerships for the effective governance of labour migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia (2006/120-072)
Location	Russian Federation, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Implementation period	December 2006 – December 2009
Implementing Partner	ILO - International Labour Organization
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2.433.508 / € 1.945.105
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project focuses on key labour migration issues that are rising quickly on political agendas there and are essential components for stability and sustainable and equitable economic growth. There are five specific objectives: (1) To develop practical methods for assessing and forecasting labour market requirements with a view to improving migration governance; (2) to promote decent work and enhance the protection of migrant workers’ rights; (3) to develop a system of earned regularisation and introduce sound regularisation policies and procedures; (4) to contribute to the productive utilization of the region’s human resources by developing systems for the portability of qualifications and reducing bureaucratic obstacles to recruitment; and (5) to develop policies that enhance the positive impact of migration on development in origin countries.

Project Name	The East-Central European Cross Border Co-operation Enhancement process (The Söderköping Process) (2003/HLWG/009 and 2005/103489)
Location	Belarus , Moldova, Ukraine
Implementation period	May 2004 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	Swedish Migration Board, UNHCR, IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 997.500 / € 762.488,00 (2003/HLWG/009) € 1.634.873,16 / € 1.307.898,40 (2005/103489)
Funding Programme	B7-667 – HLWG and AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	JLS and EuropeAid
Description	This process provides training and a forum for comparing national experiences and disseminating best practices and for peer pressure mainly, but not exclusively, on asylum management, between WNIS countries, some EU MSs (with the Swedish Migration Board in a leading role), the UNHCR and the IOM. A Secretariat is now based in Kyiv.

Project Name	The protection of refugees asylum seekers and forced migrants (2005/103619)
Location	Belarus , Moldova, Ukraine, Russia
Implementation period	December 2005 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	European Council on Refugees and Exiles - ECRE
Budget/EC contribution	€ 705.331 / € 529.705
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Improve the implementation in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia of national and international refugee and human rights instruments – leading to increased security and protection for refugees.

Project Name	Elimination of human trafficking from Moldova and Ukraine through labour market based measures (2006/120-079)
Location	Moldova and Ukraine
Implementation period	November 2006 – October 2008
Implementing Partner	ILO and ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 935.615,97 / € 748.492,78
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project offers a long-term perspective against trafficking in human beings in Moldova and Ukraine by addressing gaps in the current implementation of National Action Plans against Human Trafficking (NAP). Designed to strengthen national capacity in implementing NAP, this proposal aims in particular to involve labour market actors in prevention, reintegration and prosecution activities. The purpose is not only to support the prosecution and assistance to victims but also in particular to increase transparency, fairness and efficiency in the labour market as concerns job placements.

Project Name	Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Ukraine and Moldova (2006/120-250)
Location	Moldova and Ukraine
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2.160.346,02 / € 1.728.276,82
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	IOM will run 6 shelters for victims, promote information campaigns with focus on schools, carry out training for law enforcement agencies, including judges, and facilitate their cooperation with NGOs.

Belarus

Project Name	Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the Republic of Belarus (2002/29979)
Location	Belarus
Implementation period	September 2002 – November 2005
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	€ 900.000 / € 900.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The project contributed to the fight against trafficking in human beings in Belarus.

Project Name	Enhancing Border Management in Belarus - BOMBEL 1 (2005/100-530) & BOMBEL 2 (2006/104-281)
Location	Belarus
Implementation period	March 2005 – December 2006 September 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	€ 4.721.000 / € 4.500.000 (BOMBEL 1) € 9.066.000 / € 8.800.000 (BOMBEL 2)
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	Through the projects the EC funds a number of study visits and trainings and seminars which are organised with the involvement of EU MSs experts. Two European standard accommodation centres for irregular migrants (in Brest and in Pinsk) and a separate one for asylum seekers in the city of Pinsk have been / will be established, a dog training centre has been upgraded and equipped with modern technology, and various border control and surveillance equipment has been supplied. Furthermore the BOMBEL projects aim at modernising the equipment used by border troops in compliance with the EU standards, through the provision of computer-aided equipment and technology, motor-cars and lorries; engineering, technical, communication, radiation-measuring and other pieces of equipment; communication instrument, with the aim in particular of increasing the mobility of border troops along the green border and their capacity of surveillance on trains and at the border posts.

Project Name	Strengthening Migration Management in Belarus - MIGRABEL (2006/104300)
Location	Belarus
Implementation period	June 2006 – May 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 775.000 / € 700.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	Through this project the EC is contributing to establishing a travel document issuing and control system which will meet latest international standards and comply with biometric requirements. Moreover, a national database will be developed and will be able to store and process biometric data. Beneficiaries are the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Border Guard Committee.

Project Name	Strengthening Protection Capacity in Belarus (2006/120221)
Location	Belarus
Implementation period	December 2006 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 719.628,50 / € 575.702,80
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The overall objective of the action is to facilitate the development of the asylum system in Belarus. The specific objective is to develop an effective referral system in order to ensure the respect of the principle of non-refoulement.

Additionally, under CBC 2006 Budget, Belarus is supposed to receive an additional €14 million assistance aimed at improving border controls through provision of equipment for border surveillance and the establishment of fibre optic cable networks to central authorities and between selected border crossing points. This latter component will facilitate smooth border and customs clearance thus reducing waiting hours at border crossing points and at the same time ensuring and improving security controls through modern data networks and/or control equipment. Furthermore technical assistance will also be offered, possibly through a twinning.

Moldova

Project Name	Combating trafficking in women (2002/30263)
Location	Moldova
Implementation period	September 2002 – June 2004
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 600.000 / € 600.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	This project aimed at providing law enforcement agencies with technical support and training as well as promoting cross-border cooperation, raising awareness among potential victims about the risks of being trafficked, assisting the actual victims by facilitating repatriation, offering medical and psychological cares and hospitality in a shelter.

Project Name	Capacity building and technical cooperation for Moldovan border officials (TACIS/2003/077575)
Location	Moldova
Implementation period	December 2003 – November 2005
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.100.000 / € 900.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	This project aimed at providing training, technical assistance, and supply of equipment to border guards and other border officials in Moldova, with a particular view to enhance capacity of the Ungheni Border Guard Training Centre by providing physical facilities and equipment as well as by assisting in curricula development.

Project Name	IOM Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Trafficking (Chisinau, Moldova): Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reintegration through Comprehensive Care (TACIS/2004/72590)
Location	Moldova
Implementation period	December 2004 – February 2006
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 308.000 / €308.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The project set up a Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Trafficking (Chisinau, Moldova), focussed on the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims through comprehensive Care.

Project Name	Enhancing border control management in the republic of Moldova (TACIS/2004/027521)
Location	Moldova
Implementation period	December 2004 – December 2005
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.850.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The project aimed at strengthening border control capacities at selected Moldovan border crossing points through the supply of equipment and training.

Project Name	Strengthening Migration Management in Moldova - MIGRAMOL (2006/104300)
Location	Moldova
Implementation period	June 2006 – May 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 775.000 / € 700.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The aim of this project is to improve migration management capacity with a particular focus on the treatment of irregular migrants. The core activity under the project is to ensure international standards in the accommodation of irregular migrants with the refurbishment of an accommodation facility, to develop a health care system (including the creation of a health post), in order to provide medical assistance to irregular migrants held, to train staff and develop norms and guidelines for the management of an accommodation facility in accordance with the best international standards and most particularly with the standards set by the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the Committee for Prevention of the Torture.

Project Name	Improvement of Border Controls at the Moldovan-Ukrainian State Border - BOMMOLUK 1 (2006/125442)
Location	Moldova and Ukraine
Implementation period	September 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	€ 3.250.000 / € 3.000.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The objective of this project is to build up appropriate and institutional capacity in Moldova and Ukraine to ensure effective border and customs controls and border surveillance with particular attention to the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border.

Project Name	EU Border Assistance Mission to Ukraine and Moldova - EUBAM (RRM and TACIS)
Location	Ukraine and Moldova
Implementation period	November 2005 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	RRM: € 4.000.000 TACIS: € 24.200.000 (not all yet contracted)
Funding Programme	RRM and TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The objective of this project is to contribute to the enhancement of the overall border and customs management capacities of Moldova and Ukraine border officials and to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Transniestria conflict. The deployment of the EUBAM mission along the Moldovan-Ukrainian border as well as along the Moldovan internal/administrative boundary was initiated with particular attention to the Transnistrian border sector, which the Moldovan authorities can not effectively manage. 17 EU Member States provide significant financial contribution to EUBAM's activities through the secondment of border police and customs personnel whose salaries are being paid by the EU Member States' administration.

Project Name	Beyond Poverty Alleviation: Developing a Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Framework for Leveraging Migrant Remittances for Entrepreneurial Growth in Moldova (2006/120234)
Location	Moldova
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM – International Organisation for Migration
Budget/EC contribution	€ 997.700 / € 794.665,38
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	This project aims at maximising the positive effects of migration on development, by promoting the cheaper transfer and providing advice for the most rentable use of migrants remittances in view of pro-development projects.

Additionally, under CBC 2006 Budget Moldova is supposed to receive an additional €12 million assistance aimed at improving border controls through provision of equipment for border surveillance and the establishment of fibre optic cable networks to central authorities and between selected border crossing points. This latter component will facilitate smooth border and customs clearance thus reducing waiting hours at border crossing points and at the same time ensuring and improving security controls through modern data networks and/or control equipment. Furthermore technical assistance will also be offered, possibly through a twinning.

A TACIS RAP 2005 allocation of €6.6 million will enable to complete the demarcation of the Ukrainian- Moldovan border (the project will concentrate on the Southern border in front of the Black sea and on the Transnestrian sector, as the remaining parts were already ensured by the Ukrainian and Moldovan State Funds) and to set joint border posts.

Ukraine

Project Name	Fight against trafficking in human beings-Ukraine (2003/69572)
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	December 2003- June 2006
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.892.000 / € 1.892.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The project covered three areas in this regard: 1) prevention of trafficking through dissemination of information and increase of public awareness; 2) prosecution and criminalisation of trafficking and building up capacity of Ukrainian law enforcement and judicial authorities; 3) protection and reintegration of victims through assisting victims with legal, medical and psychological help, shelter and micro-grants as an income generating basis.

Project Name	Reinforcing the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine's Human Resources Management System (TACIS/2005/115-592)
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	December 2005 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	International Organization for Migration
Budget/EC contribution	€ 4.341.000 / € 4.000.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	DEL Ukraine
Description	Support to the State Border Guard Service's strategy towards an EU-type border police / law enforcement agency aimed at reforming the human resources management system (legislation, staff recruitment, staff training, career development).By the involvement of Hungarian and Polish border guards, it aims at improving human resources management, starting from recruitment, the development of training strategies, plans and curricula in line with EU standards and requirements, and being completed with a career development programme for border guard personnel. The programme will support the transition of a military-type structured entity towards a European-type law enforcement entity.

Project Name	“Establishment of migration management in Zakarpattya in Ukraine” (2003/HLWG/039) and “Enhancing Capacities in the Area of Protection and Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Zakarpattya /Western Ukraine” (2006/120-173)
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	June 2004 – June 2008
Implementing Partner	Osterreichische Caritaszentrale
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.627.823,77 / € 1.302.259,02 (2003/HLWG/039) € 874.928,04/ € 699.942,43 (2006/120-173)
Funding Programme	HLWG B7-667 AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	JLS and EuropeAid
Description	The projects have a humanitarian component, improving the living conditions of apprehended migrants in Zakarpattya. In addition, the activities contribute to the improvement of counselling, protection and registration of refugees while being detained and during all phases of their asylum procedure as well as to the improvement of cooperation and exchange of migration authorities and NGOs specialised in the field.

Project Name	Monitor and promote the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees and migrants
Location	Ukraine
Implementing Partner	Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection
Budget/EC contribution	€ 78.000
Responsible DG/Del	EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights)
Description	This project is implemented with the aim to monitor and promote the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of refugees and migrants with focus on the regions of Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Zakarpattya and Lviv.

Project Name	Assistance to the Legal and Administrative Reforms in Ukraine in the Sphere of Migration and Refugees’ Protection According to the Norms and Standards of the European Union (2004/87047 )
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	July 2006 – March 2007
Implementing Partner	Ludwig Boltzmann Institute
Budget/EC contribution	€ 500.000 / € 500.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Kiev
Description	The project's objective is to increase the competence of the staff of Ukrainian institutions in asylum and asylum related matters and the inter-institutional cooperation of the institutions involved by establishing internal working relations.

Project Name	Strengthening Asylum and Protection Capacity in Ukraine by Enhancing the Capacity of Governmental and Civil Society Stakeholders in a Participatory Approach and Cross-sector Co-operation (2006/120-176)
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	Dansk Flygtningehjaelp
Budget/EC contribution	€ 534397,23 / € 427517,78
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	To ensure that the Ukrainian asylum and refugee system is able to function in a transparent manner and in accordance with principles based on human rights and rule of law and in a participatory approach with civil society capacities.

Project Name	Strengthening capacities and cooperation in the identification of forged and falsified documents in Ukraine (2006/120-195)
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 783.161,25 / € 626.400,6
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	To contribute to an increased effectiveness in the fight against illegal migration by the Ukrainian authorities.

Project Name	Capacity building of Migration management: Ukraine Phase I and Phase II (2004/096-462 and 2006/124-449)
Location	Ukraine
Implementation period	March 2005 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 4.204.672 / €3.781.505 (2004/096-462) € 3.074.474 / € 2.767.000 (2006/124-449)
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	DEL Ukraine
Description	The activities aim at enhancing the capacity of the Government of Ukraine (GoU) to manage the migration flows and control the illegal movement of migrants to and through the territory of Ukraine. The projects seeks to do so by carrying out various interlinked actions, i.e. an assessment of migration situation, the development of best practices, based upon international standards and conventions, the refurbishment of accommodation centres for detained migrants and the piloting of a voluntary return programme, and to support the GoU’s efforts to comply with and ensure European best practices and humanitarian standards set by the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the CPT as well as the harmonisation with the EU acquis communautaire.

Several projects were funded by TACIS (from RAP 2000 until NAP 2005) in view of providing the border guards of Ukraine with better equipment to control the green border and the land border crossing points (walky-talkies, radios for long distance communication including data transmission, 4 wheels cars, night-visors, metal detectors, passport readers, computers, software for data registration etc.) along the entire Northern and Eastern border with Belarus and Russia, and the South-West border with Moldova for an overall amount of approximately €20 million.

Under the TACIS NAP 2006, an allocation of €5 million (within a larger project addressing also Customs Service) is available to promote further improvement of the quality of Border Guards capacity of surveillance and alignment to the EU/Schengen standards. Both through this allocation and an additional €4 million which is available under the CBC programme (2006 budget) it will be possible to procure additional border equipment.

Regional Southern Caucasus

Project Name	An integrated approach to promoting legal migration through national capacity building (2005/103475)
Location	South Caucasus
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 971.747 / € 777.397
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project contributed to the creation in the three countries of Migration Resource Centers, where information about potential and actual migrants are collected for the benefit of employers and students, and potential migrants can find information about the rules of legal migration and the risks of illegal migration. MRCs were established in 2006 in Yerevan (Armenia), Baku and Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Gurjaani (Georgia).

Project Name	Towards sustainable partnerships for the effective governance of labour migration in the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Central Asia (2006/120-072)
Location	Russian Federation, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Implementation period	December 2006 – November 2009
Implementing Partner	ILO - International Labour Organization
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2.433.508 / €1.945.105
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	This project aims at promoting a better management of legal economic migration and at increasing the level of protection of migrants' rights through seminars, trainings and legal advice in several NIS. In particular in the Russian federation it aims at developing practical methods for assessing and forecasting labour market requirements with a view to improving migration governance, as well as a system of earned regularisation and introduce sound regularisation policies and procedures.

Project Name	NGO and Governmental Cooperation Across the South Caucasus to Develop a Joint Response to Trafficking in Women and Children (2006/118051)
Location	Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
Implementing Partner	Eesti Naisuurimus Ja Teabekeskus Mtu (Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Center)
Budget/EC contribution	€600.000 / € 480.000
Funding Programme	EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights)
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project’s goal is to raise the qualification of law enforcement staff, social services and journalists. It will establish links between these actors and establish regional referral mechanisms. The project will carry out a public awareness campaign about trafficking. It will carry out regional research and regular monitoring of the situation.

Project Name	Development of a comprehensive anti-trafficking response in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (2006/104772)
Location	Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	ILO with ICMPD, OSCE
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.874.989,76 / € 1.500.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	This regional project aims at contributing to the progressive reduction of trafficking in human beings in the SC countries through capacity building and empowerment of actual and potential victims. It includes revision of National strategies and support to their implementation, awareness raising, strengthening capacity of national authorities and improve identification, protection and reintegration of victims.

Armenia

Project Name	Support to Migration Policy Development and Relevant Capacity Building in Armenia (2006/120-233)
Location	Armenia
Implementation period	December 2006 – November 2009
Implementing Partner	The British Council
Budget/EC contribution	€ 845.607 / € 676.485,6
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	1. Raising people’s awareness on issues, costs, risks, rights and responsibilities associated with migration; contribute to the development of public demand for an improved legal framework 2. Create a structure responsible for providing advice and reintegration assistance to Armenian nationals returning from abroad. Material help will be envisaged, if at all possible, in order to further minimise the risk of repeated emigration. 3. Assisting state agencies in the process of drafting legislation and regulating migration.

Azerbaijan

Project Name	Establishment of Integrated Border Management Model at the Southern Border of Azerbaijan (TACIS/2006/109-609)
Location	Azerbaijan
Implementation period	June 2006 – June 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2.185.799 / € 1.987.090
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project will facilitate an enhanced cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the fight against border-related crimes, support the establishment and the activities of a Border Guards Training School, and contribute to procure border equipment and to improve border infrastructure. The project aims to pilot an Integrated Border Management Model at the Southern Border of Azerbaijan, in an area comprising 30 km of border intersection with Iran, including the international Border Crossing Point at Bilasuvar. The latter is the fastest land connection between Baku and Iran, and with the Nakhichevan exclave of Azerbaijan, and is the longest border Azerbaijan shares with any other country.

Georgia

Project Name	Toward Durable Re-integration Mechanisms in Georgia (2006/120-074)
Location	Georgia
Implementation period	January 2007 – October 2008
Implementing Partner	Dansk Flygtningehjaelp
Budget/EC contribution	€ 639.352,80 / € 511.354,37
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The Georgian Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation (MRA) capacitated to implement its mandatory function of supporting re-integration of returning migrants, rejected asylum seekers and other displaced groups MRA capacitated to take a co-ordinating function on issues related to re-integration of returning migrants and rejected asylum seekers vis-à-vis the relevant Georgian state actors and European Governments engaged in bilateral support to re-integration.

Project Name	Prevention of trafficking in human beings, monitoring and support to the implementation of the National Action Plan on counter trafficking (2006/122530)
Location	Georgia
Implementation period	September 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	Peoples Harmonious Development Society Association
Budget/EC contribution	€ 77.580 / € 50.000
Funding Programme	EIDHR (European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights)
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	This micro-grant is supporting the fight against trafficking in human beings in Georgia through prevention and development of institutional mechanisms for prosecution of trafficking and protection of trafficking victims as well as through the monitoring and support to the implementation of the Plan of Action against Trafficking.

Project Name	Contribute to the transformation of the Georgian Border Guards into a civilian agency under the Ministry of Interior. (2006/)
Location	Georgia
Implementation period	January 2006 – July 2007
Implementing Partner	Finnish Border Guards
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.000.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC Delegation Tblisi
Description	The project aims to establish and equip a Border Police faculty in the Georgian Police Academy. An additional €1 million available under TACIS NAP 2004 and should be used to continue with assistance to the Georgian Border Guard Faculty for one more year, contract to be signed before July 2007.

1.3 Russian Federation

Project Name	“House for Asylum seekers and Refugees in Saint Petersburg” (2003/HLWG/076) and “Complex action for improvement of refugees reception system in St. Petersburg – Russia”(2006/120-135)
Location	Russian Federation
Implementation period	March 2005 – October 2008
Implementing Partner	St. Petersburg Centre for International Cooperation of the Red Cross
Budget/EC contribution	€ 897.500 / € 698.740,00 (2003/HLWG/076) € 664.856,20 / €502.764,26 (2006/120-135)
Funding Programme	HLWG B7-667 and AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	JLS and EuropeAid
Description	The project aims to increase the capacities of St Petersburg in the reception, registration, documentation and integration of refugees and asylum seekers and the protection of their rights by means of supplying them with legal, psychological, medical and social assistance and temporary settlement in a special building.

Project Name	Migration Rights: Network of Legal Assistance to Refugees and Forced Migrants in Russian Regions (2003/HLWG/082 and 2006/120-166)
Location	Russian Federation
Implementation period	January 2005 – December 2009
Implementing Partner	Memorial Human Rights Centre
Budget/EC contribution	€ 762.675,50 / € 1.042.672,82 (2003/HLWG/082) € 1.756.092,84 / 1.404.874,27 (2006/120-166)
Funding Programme	HLWG and AENEAS
Responsible DG	JLS and EuropeAid
Description	The projects foresee at providing legal counselling and representing forced migrants in the courts, the development of the asylum system in the Russian Federation, establishing a system of effective international protection for forced migrants in Russia and promoting respect for international standards and rights for refugees, stateless persons, IDPs and forced and labour migrants.

Project Name	Assistance to the Government of the Russian Federation in Establishing a Legal and Administrative Framework for the Development and Implementation of Readmission Agreements (2006/120-282)
Location	Russian Federation
Implementation period	February 2007 – January 2009
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.756.092,84 / € 1.404.874,27
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	With this project, the EC provides assistance to the Russian Federal Migration Service in its preparation towards the implementation of the readmission agreement with the EC. The project aims more specifically to upgrade the treatment of readmitted illegal migrants that are nationals of third countries, through promoting the creation of a model centre in Pskov and disseminating information on best practices in this field (including on assisted voluntary returns).

Project Name	Prevention of Human Trafficking (2005/115237)
Location	Russian Federation
Implementation period	March 2006 – August 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 4.444.444 / € 4.000.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC DEL Moscow
Description	The main objective of the project is to combat trafficking in human beings in the Russian Federation as a country of origin, transit and destination – by: (i) improving the legislative framework and the State policies regarding human trafficking, including the national capacity to assess and measure this phenomenon in Russia; (ii) strengthening the capacity of the relevant law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking; raising awareness amongst the risk group, general public and relevant Russian authorities, NGOs and diplomatic missions of foreign states; and (iii) building the capacity of the national authorities and local NGO networks to protect and reintegrate victims of trafficking.

2. Other regions

2.1 Eastern Mediterranean ENP partner countries (Syria, Lebanon and Jordan) and Middle Eastern countries (Iran and Iraq)

Regional

Project Name	International migration from Middle East and North Africa (2005/103579)
Location	Middle East and North Africa
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	World Bank
Budget/EC contribution	€ 916.963 / € 733.570
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Identify and support the implementation of projects, policies, regional arrangements, and institutional reforms that will maximise the benefits of international migration flows and reduce their costs.

Project Name	Management of asylum and migration in North Africa and improving protection of for asylum-seekers and refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, with focus on Iraqis’ (2006/126-820)
Location	Middle East and North Africa
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	UNHCR
Budget/EC contribution	€ 5.000.000 / € 4.000.000
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	€1 m of the total budget is reserved to strengthen the protection mechanisms in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, with particular focus on Iraqi refugees and asylum-seekers.

Project Name	Enhancing civil society participation in human rights management of migration (2005/103558)
Location	Middle East and North Africa
Implementation period	December 2005 – March 2008
Implementing Partner	Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network -EMHRN
Budget/EC contribution	€ 669.499 / € 535.598
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	This project supports the work of NGOs dealing with migrants and asylum seekers in all the Maghreb and Mashrek countries, including Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Lebanon

Project Name	Legal protection to migrant workers and asylum seekers in Lebanon (2001/50530)
Location	Lebanon
Implementation period	April 2003 – March 2007
Implementing Partner	Caritas
Budget/EC contribution	€ 761.300 / € 761.300
Funding Programme	MEDA
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The overall objective of this project is the protection of the human and legal rights of migrant workers and asylum-seekers in Lebanon. By the end of its implementation period: 1. The existing legal protections for migrants’ rights will be enforced in the courts of Lebanon and migrants will have access to the legal and social counselling necessary to take advantage of these protections; 2. Migrants and asylum-seekers will be more capable of protecting themselves from abuse, exploitation and detention by understanding and using the legal process and their social networks; 3. The Lebanese public will be informed of the legal and human rights of the migrants working and living among them and of the nature and extent of the abuse and exploitation they experience; 4. The official administrative instructions and general practices regulating the status and treatment of migrant workers, especially female household workers, will provide greater protection for their human and legal rights.

2.2 Central Asia

Regional

Project Name	Border Management in Central Asia (BOMCA)
Location	Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Implementation period	From 2003 - ongoing
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	€ 13.600.000 (additional €12 million reserved)
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EC Delegation Almaty
Description	The overall objectives of the programme are 1) to enhance security in Central Asia; 2) to reduce the flow of illicit traffic through the countries of the region; 3) to contribute to an increased flow of persons and legal goods across Central Asian borders. The specific objective of BOMCA is to strengthen the five countries' capacities in managing their borders in accordance with European best practices. The programme addresses all the issues related to border management, including improvement of relevant legislation, training, study tours, funding of infrastructures, supplying of equipment for upgrading of security at border crossing points, on certain parts of the green border of the countries and in selected airports. It supports as well training centres, facilitated networking and regional coordination.

Project Name	Central Asian Labour Migration Programme (2006/131406)
Location	Central Asia
Implementation period	November 2006 – October 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.900.000 / € 1.700.000
Funding Programme	TACIS
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project supports in Kazakhstan the improvement of labour migration data and statistics, the development of a national labour migration strategy, capacity building for migration authorities, protection of migrants’ rights via NGOs, while in sending countries like Tajikistan, Kirghizstan and Uzbekistan it is aimed at better regulating and inspecting employment agencies, increasing information for would be migrants, enhancing capacities of national authorities to protect nationals working abroad. At regional level the project promotes raising awareness among decision makers and promotes coordination and dialogue.

Tajikistan

Project Name	Enhancing Development Impact of Remittances and Promoting legal migration in Rural Communities. (2006/120-262)
Location	Tajikistan
Implementation period	January 2007 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 669.655 / 535.724
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	To enhance the development impact of labour migration and remittances in migrant sending areas through remittance-linked education and investment initiatives as well as promoting legal migration through information dissemination and training of community based entities on reality of labour migration.

2.3 Asian countries of origin

As regards Asiatic countries, a big distinction is to be made between 1) actions providing material help to internally displaced people (IDPs) of countries in crisis situations or to its nationals having massively fled in a neighbouring country, which were carried out mainly through the "Aid to Uprooted People" budget line, and 2) actions more specifically addressing other aspects of migrations and in particular migrations towards the EU.

As concerns the "Aid to Uprooted People" budget line, there have been several large scale interventions concentrated in a few countries. Among them Afghanistan was a priority. €145.4 million was allocated between 2001 and 2006. Interventions aimed at facilitating return and reintegration of internally displaced Afghans or Afghans willing to repatriate in particular from Iran and Pakistan by facilitating land and houses recovery, access to information and employment, removal of various legal and material obstacles. The programme also supported the functioning of the Afghanistan Comprehensive Solutions Unit (ACSU), whose task is to steer the overall collection of information on Afghans abroad and promotion and coordination of their return and reintegration back home, while coordinating among all the State agencies and the actors involved into this process.

Furthermore, the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line mobilised between 2001 and 2004 up to €3.8 million to support Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. In the same period, €26 million were allocated to help Burmese refugees in Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand. Additional €18 million were allocated under the budgets 2005 and 2006 of that budget line.

In Indonesia €15.7 million were mobilised by the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line, with focus on Sulawesi and Timor populations.

The "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line mobilised €8.5 million between 2001 and 2004 for projects implemented by UNHCR in the Philippines aimed at assisting internally displaced people, with special focus on Mindanao. At the same time, in Sri Lanka the "Aid to Uprooted people" budget line provided up to €15.5 million between 2001 and 2004 for projects implemented by UNHCR aimed at assisting internally displaced people.

Furthermore many more interventions of a purely humanitarian nature were promoted by ECHO.

Project Name	Regional Dialogue and Program on facilitating managed and legal migration between Asia and the EU (2005/103523)
Location	Asia
Implementation period	December 2005 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.060.728 / € 848.583
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	Develop legal migration and enhance regional dialogue and cooperation in facilitating managed migration from Asia to the EU.

Project Name	Asian Programme of the Governance of Labour Migration (2005/103503)
Location	Countries of the Mekong region, China, Korea, Japan and South Asia
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2008
Implementing Partner	ILO and UNIFEM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2.447.840 / € 1.955.335
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The project aims to promote active dialogue and cooperation for enhanced gender and rights-based management of labour migration among countries in the Asian region, and thereby minimize exploitative and abusive treatment of migrant workers. The project contributes to the adoption of appropriate policies and the enactment of enabling laws, the training of labour administrators, improving information systems for decision-making, and promoting bilateral agreements and regular consultations among the countries in the region.

Bangladesh

Project Name	Anti-Trafficking of Human Beings within the Police Reform Programme (Asia/2006/124252)
Location	Bangladesh
Implementation period	January 2007 – October 2009
Implementing Partner	UNDP
Budget/EC contribution	€13.700.000 / € 2.000.000
Funding Programme	ALA
Responsible DG	DEL Dhaka
Description	Within the framework of a much larger (13.7m€) reform programme for the Bangladeshi police funded by DFID and UNPD, the EC funds one component which will focus on introducing a victim oriented approach, and should provide details on how the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police will improve the capacity of the police to investigate THB, on the one hand by ensuring that witnesses are treated in such a way that they feel safe and comfortable enough by supporting the investigations and on the other hand to have the capacity to investigate cases without being fully dependent on victim-witnesses. The project also strives to increase access to justice to victims of human trafficking, create understanding among police officers how to deal with trafficking cases, and how and when to work together closely with other Ministries, the NGO community, and international organisations to ensure best possible referral of the victims.

China

Project Name	Capacity Building For Migration Management in China (2006/120-244)
Location	Philippines
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 2499548,85 / € 1999639,08
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2005
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	IOM is supported to contribute to the reduction of illegal migration from, into and through the PRC, including to the EU; to support the enhancement of the national capacity for migration management in the PRC; to contribute to building a sustainable and viable network of partnerships and cooperation in the area of migration between the administration of the PRC and EU MS and to increase mutual understanding and knowledge of respective approaches to migration and migration management between the PRC and the EU.

Project Name	MIGRAMACAO (2005/103671)
Location	Macao
Implementation period	January 2006 – December 2007
Implementing Partner	Cabinet of Secretary for Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region
Budget/EC contribution	€ 626.131 / € 500.904,80
Funding Programme	AENEAS 2004
Responsible DG	EuropeAid
Description	The aim of the MIGRAMACAU action is to ensure entities of Macao more effective management in all aspects of migration flows, including the prevention and combating of illegal migration and trafficking of human beings through the cooperation with regional countries and the coordination with the EC.

Philippines

Project Name	Philippines Border Management Project (2005/113-343)
Location	Philippines
Implementation period	January 2006 – January 2009
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 5.145.000 / € 4.900.000
Funding Programme	ALA
Responsible DG	DEL Manila
Description	This project contributes to the efforts of the Government of the Philippines towards a more professional migration and border management in line with international norms and protocols.

Project Name	“The Opportunity Card” (2003/HLWG/031)
Location	Philippines
Implementation period	June 2004 – December 2005
Implementing Partner	Opportunity International
Budget/EC contribution	€ 701.417,11 / € 530.055,00
Funding Programme	HLWG – B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	The project led by Opportunity International UK (an international network of microfinance organisations) aims to provide a remittance product for overseas Filipino workers to remit monies back to the Philippines. The product provides a secure and economically competitive means for remittances to be made and uses the HSBC (bank) Money transfer product which takes the form of a cash card to be held by the recipients of the remittance. The initial target is of 15,000 new cards. The aim was thus to increase the amount of remittances as a tool to alleviate poverty by making them more accessible, cost and time-effective and safe.

Sri Lanka

Project Name	Possible Establishment of an Information Exchange System Field-Based Country of Origin Information System With Regard to Sri Lanka (2001/HLWG/122)
Location	Sri Lanka
Implementation period	January 2002 – April 2005
Implementing Partner	ICMPD
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.079.663,55; EU grant: € 863.731,00
Funding Programme	HLWG – B7-667
Responsible DG	JLS
Description	The purpose of this project was to provide country of origin information to interested Governments when dealing with pre-departure return planning of Sri Lankan nationals and therefore facilitating a more successful integration of Sri Lankan national returnees.

Project Name	Capacity Building in Migration Management and Sustainable Return and Reintegration in Sri Lanka (2001/HLWG/130, 2002/HLWG/002, 2003/HLWG/060, 2005/103522)
Location	Sri Lanka
Implementation period	December 2001 – November 2007
Implementing Partner	IOM
Budget/EC contribution	€ 1.353.141 / € 1.082.513 (2001/HLWG/130) € 600.000 / € 507.713,70 (2002/HLWG/002) € 1.115.397,90 / € 892.318,32 (2003/HLWG/060) € 2.341.830 / € 1.873.464 (2005/103522)
Funding Programme	HLWG and AENEAS
Responsible DG	JLS and EuropeAid
Description	The EC’s support to Sri Lanka focuses at strengthening the capacity of Sri Lanka to manage migration, enhance regular migration, support assisted voluntary return and reintegration and foster economic relations and exchange of experience between Sri Lankan migrants and their home country. In addition, the four projects strived to build the capacity of the Sri Lankan government to reduce irregular migration into and through Sri Lanka, and a wide range of training activities were conducted, both within Sri Lanka as is the EU.

[1] Based on the Commission Communication on The Global Approach One Year On: Towards a comprehensive European migration policy, November 2006 - COM(2006) 735.

[2] As defined in UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

[3] In the case of Belarus, dialogue should take place in line with the restrictions applying to EU-Belarus relations on contacts with the authorities and within a regional framework.

[4] Turkey was officially recognised as a candidate country in December 1999. Accession negotiations were opened on 3 October 2005. Croatia is also a candidate country negotiating for EU membership. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was granted candidate country status in December 2005 but has not yet started accession negotiations.

[5] While the SAA with Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are in force, the SAA with Albania has been signed but not yet ratified, the SAA with Montenegro has been initialled, negotiations for an SAA with Bosnia and Herzegovina have been finalised while the negotiations for an SAA with Serbia are currently on hold.

[6] The EC readmission agreement with Albania has been in force since May 2006; readmission agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro have been initialled and are expected to enter into force by the end of 2007.

[7] There is no PCA in force with Belarus and, in line with Council Conclusions, the EU’s relationship with Belarus is governed by a two-track policy whereby a policy of restricted contacts at Ministerial level is paralleled by EC assistance directed at democratisation and support for the needs of the population.

[8] Negotiations for a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with Iran were launched in 2002. Due to the Iranian nuclear crisis, no round of negotiations could take place after July 2005. When it is possible to resume the TCA negotiations, the EU and the Islamic Republic of Iran may find it in their mutual interest to include specific provisions for dialogue and cooperation on migration issues.

[9] In November 2006 the Commission opened negotiations for a TCA with Iraq. Dialogue with Iraq on migration, visas and asylum will depend very much on the security situation in Iraq, as well as the extent to which the Iraqi administration increases its own capacities.

[10] COM(2001) 469, 4.9.2001.

[11] Projects which started before the separation of Serbia and Montenegro and which now cover both countries can be found under Serbia.

[12] 'Asiatic countries' includes here: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

	As Legally residing (2004)	As Apprehended illegal migrants (2005)	As receivers of a visa (2005)	As asylum seekers (2005)
From South Caucasus	93,504	6,903	78,774	12,896
From Eastern Europe	536,658	41,211	2,039,952	9,322
From Western Balkans	2,502,906	83,173	838,174	25,890
From Turkey	2,456,186	9,749	532,177	10,746
From Russian Federation	485,053	13,844	2,833,392	18,143
TOTAL	6,074,307	154,880	6,322,469	76,997
From Asiatic countries[12]	2,002,589	58,518	1,447,382	62,975
TOTAL all groups above	8,079,154	213,398	7,769,851	139,972

	Year 2004	Year 2005
In South Caucasus	3,123	3,029
In Eastern Europe	10,104	13,748
In Western Balkans	6,919	8,234
In Turkey	61,228	57,428
TOTAL	81,374	82,439

	Total asylum seekers
South Caucasus	1,431
Eastern Europe	2,189
Western Balkans	586
Turkey	3,908
TOTAL	8,114

Turkey	2456186
Serbia-Montenegro	839247
Albania	778748
Russian Federation	485053
Ukraine	451283
Bosnia and Herzegovina	352449
Croatia	338307
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	194155
Moldova	82011
Armenia	59381
Georgia	31166
Azerbaijan	2957
Belarus	3364
TOTAL	6074307

China	405546
India	326592
Iraq	186505
Pakistan	170734
Sri Lanka	149329
Islamic Republic of Iran	131932
Vietnam	126862
Indonesia	124088
Bangladesh	113464
Afghanistan	92119
Lebanon	74227
Syria	54704
Jordan	17290
Uzbekistan	10313
Kirgizstan	9759
Kazakhstan	6257
Turkmenistan	1755
Tajikistan	1113
TOTAL nationals from Asiatic countries	2002589

Group 1
Russia	2833392
Ukraine	1348162
Belarus	629849
Serbia and Montenegro	541244
Turkey	532177
Albania	136569
Bosnia and Herezegovina	128750
Moldova	61941
Georgia	40322
Armenia	21911
Croatia	17545
Azerbaijan	16541
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	14066
Total group 1	6322469

Group 2
China	592644
India	292861
Iran	104898
Kazakhstan	104166
Lebanon	74299
Indonesia	67931
Pakistan	40243
Syria	37708
Vietnam	35372
Jordan	31449
Sri Lanka	16984
Uzbekistan	12232
Bangladesh	11808
Kyrgizstan	8930
Iraq	6563
Turkmenistan	4033
Afghanistan	3526
Tajikistan	1735
TOTAL group 2	1447382

TOTAL group 1 + group 2	7769851
TOTAL visas issued worldwide	11709251
Percentage of visas issued in countries group 1	54%
Percentage of visas issued in countries group 2	12,30%

TABLE 6: Apprehended illegal aliens in EU25, 2004-2005
Group 1	Nationals of Eastern and South-Eastern countries neighbouring the EU including Russian Federation
Country	2004	2005
Albania	36965	52388
Ukraine	29156	26791
Russia	17276	13844
Serbia Montenegro	6988	13058
Moldova	10710	11444
Turkey	9775	9749
Georgia	5627	4009
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	3532	3518
Belarus	2911	2976
Bosnia	2663	2483
Armenia	2142	1938
Croatia	1110	1151
Azerbaijan	1417	956
Total group 1	134,597	154,880

Group 2	Nationals of Asiatic countries of origin and transit
Country	2004	2005
Iraq	6861	14242
China	10715	10894
India	9168	9905
Pakistan	5151	6724
Iran	2858	4640
Bangladesh	3223	3551
Vietnam	2325	2338
Syria	1526	1728
Afghanistan	724	909
Lebanon	736	803
Sri Lanka	1101	745
Uzbekistan	517	642
Kazakhstan	616	587
Kirgyzstan	301	350
Jordan	161	212
Indonesia	147	114
Tajikistan	109	100
Turkmenistan	73	34
Total group 2	46312	58518

TABLE 7: Asylum applications and positive decisions in EU25, 2004-2005
Asylum applications and positive decisions in EU25, 2004-2005
Source: Eurostat

Group 1
	2004			2005
Country	Applications	Positive decisions	Ratio % between applications and positive decisions	Applications	Positive decisions	Ratio % between applications and positive decisions
Serbia Montenegro	17432	1866	10,70	19475	1978	10,16
Russia	26373	7446	28,23	18143	8386	46,22
Turkey	13547	1611	11,89	10746	1453	13,52
Georgia	7452	189	2,54	6330	153	2,42
Moldova	5229	90	1,72	4506	75	1,66
Armenia	3682	193	5,24	3793	427	1,26
Bosnia	3955	1134	28,67	3183	875	27,49
Ukraine	4569	138	3,02	3077	118	3,83
Azerbaijan	3630	362	9,97	2773	714	25,75
Belarus	1931	165	8,54	1739	216	12,42
Macedonia	2000	38	1,90	1578	68	4,31
Albania	1882	214	11,37	1378	120	8,71
Croatia	456	17	3,73	276	26	9,42
Total group 1	92138	13463	14,61	76997	14609	18,97

	2004			2005
Country	Applications	Positive decisions	Ratio % between applications and positive decisions	Applications	Positive decisions	Ratio % between applications and positive decisions
Iraq	7910	2705	34,20	10805	4260	39,43
China	11445	305	2,66	7765	345	4,44
Iran	8760	1560	17,81	7485	1920	25,65
Pakistan	8940	360	4,03	6810	440	6,46
Afghanistan	7135	2610	36,58	6765	2420	35,77
India	9710	35	0,36	5795	45	0,78
Bangladesh	5535	340	6,14	4220	225	5,33
Sri Lanka	3600	480	13,33	3890	275	7,07
Syria	2910	440	15,12	3695	730	19,76
Vietnam	3340	285	8,53	2400	180	7,50
Lebanon	1200	45	3,75	1320	130	9,85
Uzbekistan	590	100	16,95	725	180	24,83
Kazakhstan	590	85	14,41	435	85	19,54
Kirgyzstan	510	45	8,82	390	90	23,08
Jordan	230	15	6,52	255	25	9,80
Tajikistan	130	25	19,23	95	10	10,53
Indonesia	75	5	6,67	70	0	0,00
Turkmenistan	115	30	26,09	55	15	27,27
Total Group 2	72725	9470	13,02	62975	11375	18,06

	2004			2005
	Applications	Positive decisions	% Positive decisions	Applications	Positive decisions	% Positive decisions
TOTAL all groups	164863	22933	13,91	139972	25984	18,56
Total asylum applications/decisions from all countries in EU25	282480	62986		237840	73068
Percentage from 2 above groups on global total	58,36%	36,40%		58,85%	35,56%


N.B. Order on the list follows order of importance of applications in 2005
The ratio between applications and positive decisions is not a recognition rate
Remarks:
Data rounded up to the nearest 5.
2004 - no applications data disaggregated by citizenship available for IT
2004 - no decisions data available for IT
2004, 2005 - no decisions data available for LU