Informal Home Affairs Council: EU launches the Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management in Moldova

Today, in the margins of the informal Home Affairs Council Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson and the Moldovan Minister of Internal Affairs, Ana Revenco launched the EU Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management in Moldova. As an operational platform, the EU Support Hub will support cooperation on internal security and border management between the EU, its Agencies, the Member States and the Moldovan authorities. The hub will be established in Chișinău and coordinated by the  Delegation of the European Union to Moldova.

Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine led to risks to the internal security both in the EU and in Moldova. Due to its geographical location, Moldova has a key role to play in addressing the criminal and security implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The launch of the EU Support Hub is a further reflection of Moldova’s European perspective, in accordance with the decision of the European Council to grant the status of a candidate country to Moldova.

Vice-President for Promoting our European way of Life Margaritis Schinas said: “Today we are taking a tangible step to further enhance the security partnership between the EU and the Republic of Moldova, facilitating cooperation and operational action to address shared security threats. The EU Support Hub will serve as a gateway for the Moldovan authorities to access EU cooperation and support mechanisms and is testament to our strong commitment to an ever closer partnership.”

Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said: “Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is a challenge to all of us and has a significant impact on our internal security. With the launch of the EU Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management in Moldova, we take the cooperation with our Moldovan partners to the next level to address related security threats. The hub will enhance our joint operational action with Moldova to address the challenges posed by organised crime, including the trafficking of firearms or trafficking in human beings. It will also help Moldova to participate in our EU tools and instruments on internal security.”

As part of the EU’s comprehensive support package to Moldova, the objective of the EU Support Hub will be to:

• coordinate the support that the EU and its Member States provide to Moldova to strengthen law enforcement and border management;
• provide a one-stop-shop for Moldovan authorities offering the comprehensive toolbox of support measures that the EU and its Member States provide to Moldova on internal security and border management;
• support the existing mechanisms on internal security and border management, notably the support that Europol provides on information sharing, analysis and operational cooperation, that Frontex and EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) provide on border management and notably on the detection of firearms trafficking and on countering trafficking in human beings, as well as the operational support through the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT);
• identify the needs of the Moldovan authorities in terms of capacity building for law enforcement and border management, supporting the programming of EU financing instruments.

The EU Support Hub in Moldova will be operating along the six priority areas, which are based on the risks and threats jointly identified by the EU and Moldova. The Hub will focus on: firearms trafficking, migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings, preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism, cybercrime and drug trafficking.

Each meeting of the EU Support hub will focus on specific priority areas and will result in operational actions, such as the launch of investigations or targeted trainings. The first operational meeting of the hub took place today together with the political launch of the initiative. It focused on addressing the threats posed by firearms trafficking.

The Hub will bring together experts from Europol, Frontex, EUBAM, each Member State deploying law enforcement officers to Moldova, the European Commission and the European External Action Service. Moldova will participate in the EU Support Hub with a representative of the International Police Cooperation Centre of the Moldovan National Police, the National EMPACT Coordinator in Moldova, an expert on trafficking in human beings and the contact person of the Moldovan authorities for cooperation with CEPOL.

Background

On 24-25 March, the European Council called upon the Commission to take the necessary steps to support Member States and its partners in intensifying their efforts to welcome refugees from Ukraine, in a continued spirit of unity and solidarity.

On 28 March, the Commission presented a 10-Point Plan for stronger European coordination on welcoming people fleeing the war against Ukraine. Under action 7, the EU committed to reinforced solidarity with Moldova.

In line with the 10-Point Plan, the EU has taken firm action to counter the internal security risks stemming from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. To protect people fleeing the war in Ukraine, the Commission presented a tailor-made Common Anti-Trafficking Plan to address the risks of trafficking in human beings and to support potential victims. Europol has deployed experts and guest officers in all Member States neighbouring Ukraine and Moldova. Member States’ law enforcement authorities work together in the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) to target joint operational action against new crime threats linked to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

For More Information

10-Point Plan for stronger European coordination on welcoming people fleeing the war from Ukraine

Website – Migration Management: Welcoming refugees from Ukraine