European Patrols Network (EPN) will start to be operational at the end of May 2007 at the Southern maritime borders. EPN is a permanent regional border security concept, which enables the synchronisation of national measures of the Member States of the European Union and their integration into joint European activities.
Ilkka Laitinen, the Executive Director of Frontex expressed his gratitude to the Member States saying: “Development of European Patrols Network being a key element of the European Surveillance System is a very important part of our efforts focused on proper management of external maritime borders. Last year we prepared two feasibility studies dealing with institutional and technical possibilities of the surveillance of the southern maritime border of the European Union. Just a few months later we start with the implementation - I think it shows how dedicated to the surveillance of Southern maritime borders we are and Member States are, as they will jointly manage EPN activities in the regions identified by Frontex”.
Centralised Records of Available Technical Equipment (CRATE) being created by Frontex, include equipment for control and surveillance of external border belonging to Member States of the European Union, which they on voluntary basis and upon request from another Member States are willing to put at the disposal of that Member State for a temporary period. Having been created, the technical records enhance Frontex coordinated joint operations as they reduce the necessity of ad hoc requests for technical assets.
“The number of assets offered so far by Members States is really satisfactory. We can only be happy having assets from 21 Members State, among them 21 fixed wing aircrafts, 27 helicopters, 116 vessels, mobile radar units and other special technical equipment. Of course we will welcome warmly any new assets; CRATE is open and should be treated as a living instrument. We haven’t closed the record and we never will…” said Ilkka Laitinen, the Executive Director of Frontex.
EPN - background
In 2006 Frontex carried out two feasibility studies dealing with institutional and technical possibilities of the surveillance of the southern maritime border of the European Union. Apart from monitoring the current situation, the studies proposed possible solutions for the area. From the point of view of organizational structure and the way to exchange information a network of national contact points connected with Frontex has been suggested. From the technical point of view, the studies present a structure of a surveillance system covering the southern maritime borders as well as the open sea. The proposed system is based on existing surveillance activities and their updating to form the European Surveillance System. Once in place the system will play an essential role in saving lives at sea and tackling illegal immigration.
In 2006 Frontex carried out two feasibility studies dealing with institutional and technical possibilities of the surveillance of the southern maritime border of the European Union. Apart from monitoring the current situation, the studies proposed possible solutions for the area. From the point of view of organizational structure and the way to exchange information a network of national contact points connected with Frontex has been suggested. From the technical point of view, the studies present a structure of a surveillance system covering the southern maritime borders as well as the open sea. The proposed system is based on existing surveillance activities and their updating to form the European Surveillance System. Once in place the system will play an essential role in saving lives at sea and tackling illegal immigration.
While there are many steps to be taken by the Member States on the way to the proposed solution, Frontex is currently starting to implement one part of the structure, namely the European Patrols Network (EPN) at the southern maritime borders of the EU as a cooperation model for the open sea. The establishment of the EPN is based on Member States’ existing patrolling activities covering the Mediterranean Sea and a part of the Atlantic Ocean by planning together with the Member States a permanent joint operation.