On Thursday, June 23, a meeting of high-level institutional representatives of partner and associated countries of MERCOSUR and the EUROFRONT cooperation programme, funded by the EU. The objective of this Programme is improve economic and social development and security on Latin America's borders. To this end, it has the direct participation of seven States: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay, which currently holds the pro tempore Presidency of MERCOSUR through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The starting point of this meeting was the European model of EU Integrated Border Management (IBM), from whose perspective processes are being promoted within the framework of the regional cooperation mechanisms of the partner countries, such as MERCOSUR and the Andean Community (CAN). Thus, on May 11 and 12, EUROFRONT co-organized a meeting with the CAN in Ecuador The aim of this meeting in Paraguay is to combat transnational crimes at the borders of the seven EUROFRONT partner countries, which are working closely with the EU, both individually and jointly.
In fact, this activity is taking place during a week in which the city of Asunción has hosted several activities related to one of the crimes that most concern the South American region: drug trafficking. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay has led and participated in several of them. The cooperation approach has also been very present during these events, co-organised by three complementary EU programmes: EUROFRONT, which works on border management; EL PAcCTO Penitenciario, whose priority activity is aimed at combating the infiltration of organised crime in penitentiary centres; and COPOLAD III, which promotes regional anti-drug policies.
During the meeting organized by EUROFRONT and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, EU border security experts have made a presentation of Good practices of the Integrated Border Management system, specifically those linked to the Schengen Agreement, to established dynamics of police cooperation and to the Police and Customs Cooperation Centres. “These are some of the control tools that have allowed the EU to ensure a balance between mobility and security,” explained Judge Chiara Maria Paolucci, senior expert at EUROFRONT.
After the meeting, Carlos Hugo Centurión, Paraguay Coordinator of Subgroup Work No. 18 (SGT 18) On MERCOSUR Border Integration, he positively assessed the outcome of the dialogue: “meetings such as the one held in Asunción are a valuable tool for bringing discussions closer together that allow for the establishment of technical channels for participation that, in turn, contribute to the advancement of the agendas of MERCOSUR border issues, in a manner associated with the vision of technical cooperation of the EUROFRONT Program.”
As José Antonio Cambronero, director of EUROFRONT, points out: “these results bring the Programme closer to its objective: to provide valuable information and support the efforts of partner countries in strengthening their border management, giving continuity to the strategies implemented and collectively seeking to improve security and development in Latin America.”
As was made clear during the meeting, these objectives are in line with those of the “MERCOSUR dialogues with its borders”, presented by Sub-Working Group No. 18 (SGT 18) on Border Integration of MERCOSUR. Taking into account the experience of the EU in Integrated Border Management and the results of this activity, the EUROFRONT partner countries present at the meeting requested the pro tempore Presidency of Paraguay of SGT 18 of MERCOSUR to present the conclusions of the meeting as a contribution to the work of the Sub-Group in matters such as: harmonisation of regulatory frameworks, procedures and practices; exchange of information and common databases; training programmes and inter-institutional, inter-agency and international cooperation; all in the field of border integration.
Continuing the dialogue from the meeting, a proposal for a plenary meeting between the Subgroup and the EUROFRONT programme will be formulated through MERCOSUR Border Integration Working Group 18 for the second half of the year, during Uruguay's pro tempore Presidency. This space will facilitate the continuation of discussions on the most relevant topics of integrated border management. (For more information: EUROFRONT Programme Communications Department, [email protected]) www.programaeurofront.eu)
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