High-level officials from the EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries attended the closing ceremony of the four Mid-Level Courses organised by Frontex. The ceremony was held in the Federal Police Academy in Lübeck (Germany).
60 border guard officers from 27 countries were trained during the four courses this year. The aim of the training activities, prepared and successfully implemented by Frontex together with host countries (Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovenia and Finland), was to provide junior supervisory border guards with in-depth knowledge of command, control and operational structures of other border guard services.
Border guards taking part in the course have had also opportunity to optimise their expertise on border guard cooperation at the external borders of the EU and to examine border control as a common European task. The courses focused on teaching basic border guard tactics, procedures and operational structures in the respective countries rounded out with practical training modules at the external borders. All training activities were held in English, thus facilitating establishment of a common language of European border guard services.
In order to guarantee professional performance of the courses participating countries contributed with more than 12 000 working hours and Frontex invested heavily in this project. Based on the work already undertaken and upon requests of the EU Member States as well as Schengen Associated Countries, up to six Mid-Level Courses will be carried out in 2008. Frontex Training Unit will also begin work on the development of the Common Mid-Level Curriculum.