Actions in this activity will deal with issues relevant to all the consecutive tiers of European border security strategy, starting with visa application procedures in embassies and consular posts (1st level), cross-border cooperation (2nd level), measures at the border crossing points at land borders, harbours and airports as well as between the border crossing points at green and blue borders (3rd level) and finally activities inside the European external borders (4th level) such as exchange of information, compensatory measures, Schengen Information System (SIS), Judicial and Police, Customs and Border Guard cooperation (PCB). A series of capabilities are required to cope with this mission area, many of which primarily relate to the phases ‘identify’, ‘prevent’ and ‘protect’. The ambition is both to avoid an incident and to mitigate its potential consequences.
To build up the required capabilities, emphasis will be on issues such as: enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of all security relevant systems, equipment, tools and processes used at border crossing points (e.g. identification of accessing people, non-invasive detection of people and goods, tracking of substances, sampling, spatial recognition including data capture and analysis, etc.); improving the security of Europe’s land and sea borders (e.g. through non invasive and underwater detection of vehicles, tracking of vehicles, spatial recognition including data capture and analysis, surveillance, remote operations, etc.); maritime security; assessment and management of (illegal) migration flows. A suitable framework will be established to coordinate with the activities of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders.