Home Affairs - Funding - External Borders

The External Borders Fund

It is in the interest of the entire Schengen Area that EU States invest in the protection of the EU's external borders. For some States, notably those situated at the external frontiers of the Union, these investments can be very high due to particular migratory pressures at their borders. The External Borders Fund (EBF) responds to such situations.

Establishing solidarity between Schengen States

The EBF establishes financial solidarity between Schengen States by supporting those States for which the implementation of the common standards for control of the EU’s external borders represents a heavy burden. Furthermore, the Fund finances the activities of FRONTEX (the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders), which ensures practical cooperation between EU States’ police forces, border guards and judicial and customs authorities. The Fund also supports actions for building a common EU visa policy in order to facilitate legitimate travel, while tackling irregular border crossings and visa fraud.

Overall, EUR 1 820 million is allocated for these objectives over the period 2007–13. The Fund has led to significant improvements, such as to the shortening of the duration of passenger checks, modernisation of surveillance systems and development of IT systems for external border controls.

Specific actions

In addition to supporting the implementation of National Programmes and Community Actions, a maximum of EUR 10 million a year may be used for Specific Actions, which address weaknesses at strategic points at the external borders, on the basis of risk analyses carried out by FRONTEX.

All EU States (except for the UK and Ireland), as well as the non-EU countries associated with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein), participate in the EBF.

Distribution of resources

Each year the resources under the Fund are distributed to the Member States in accordance with the criteria laid down in the basic act. The Commission has issued a report on the calculations made for the budget years 2007-2011: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the application of the criteria for the distribution of resources among the Member States under the External Borders Fund, the European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals and the European Return Fund.

Mid-Term implementation evaluation

The Commission has approved a report on the results achieved and on qualitative and quantitative aspects of implementation of the External Borders Fund 2007-2009.

The report, which is requested by the Fund's legal basis, has been transmitted to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

The Commission report is complemented by the national evaluation reports submitted by all EU States participating in the implementation of the Fund and with two studies.

National evaluation reports: