Agency Frontex Research Articles

Limits to discretion and automated risk assessments in EU border control: Recognising the political in the technical

AbstractThis article analyses how the automation of border control challenges the rule of law requirement on sufficient limits to discretion by using the idea expressed by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) non‐delegation doctrine that it is possible to make a clear distinction between technically complex assessments and political discretion. To illustrate these challenges, the article uses the examples of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and the conferral of discretionary powers to EU agency Frontex to establish pre‐determined risk criteria. The article argues that not recognising the inherent political aspects of exercising technical powers leads to insufficient limits to discretionary powers in the context of automated risk assessments. Beyond raising serious rule of law concerns of arbitrary exercise of power, the idea that technical assessments and policy choices can be clearly separated enables ‘algorithmic discretion’ as a new form of administrative discretion.

Frontex at the epicentre of a rule of law crisis at the external borders of the EU

AbstractNext to the rule of law ‘crises’ within Member States, a new facet of this rule of law crisis is emerging at the external borders of the EU, and sees the EU border agency Frontex as its epicentre. This article illustrates the multiple facets of this crisis which concerns Frontex's functioning and activities, discussing a form of ‘agency capture’ that occurred under the mandate of the former Executive Director and a legal framework ensuring limited monitoring and transparency on operations. Subsequently, the article delves into the constitutional meaning of the rule of law for an agency such as Frontex, both for its significance on relations between authorities and individuals and for the interplay between the rule of law and accountability. The article concludes by calling for a rethinking of the accountability instruments in place, to constrain more effectively the exercise of discretion by agencies.

Entangled Vulnerabilities: Gendered and Racialised Bodies and Borders in EU External Border Security

ABSTRACT The notion of vulnerability is gaining traction in EU border protection. On the one hand, the concept refers to vulnerable migrants and their affectedness by insecurity and violence. On the other, it indicates the susceptibility of borders to irregular crossings and cross-border crime. Both forms of vulnerability are assessed through dedicated procedures under the umbrella of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex. To make sense of these seemingly contradictory conceptual and practical uses of vulnerability, we draw on feminist postcolonial scholarship in security studies and political geography. We argue that a shared colonial matrix of gendered and racialised meanings and problematisations enables analogies between borders and bodies as (un-)deserving of protection. In a discourse-theoretical analysis of Frontex documents, we show how the ambiguous use of vulnerability legitimises the EU border regime and its security practices by constructing EU bordering as neutral and objective and EU borders as objects of care. We conclude that vulnerability becomes increasingly important for normalising the EU’s violent borders in the context of the EU’s broader claims to liberal values of freedom, protection, and human rights.

Organizational and legal mechanism for ensuring EU migration security

Introduction. Modern security threats are becoming more and more widespread in the world, intensifying within the borders of the European Union. Migration is increasingly viewed through the prism of security in a particular country or even in the entire region, such as, for instance, European Union. Problem. Ukraine’s European integration aspirations make it necessary to study the common immigration policy of the European Union through the prism of the organizational and legal mechanism for ensuring security in this area. The aim of the study is to define the common immigration policy of the European Union through the prism of the organizational and legal mechanism for ensuring security in this area, as well as formulating proposals for its improvement. Methods. The methods of legal analysis, historical, and systemic analysis are applied. Results. The creation of the Schengen area with a common external border and no internal borders necessitated the adoption of EU supranational legislation, in particular to guarantee the security of this area. Since the Tampere Program in 1999, all five-year development plans have emphasized the security dimensions of migration. The Frontex agency was created to fulfill the goals of the EU’s common immigration policy and to strengthen the protection of the EU’s external border. The intro­duction of data collection systems contributes to the identification of persons and early warning and prevention of threats. Conclusions. In order to strategically reduce the risks associated with migration, it is important to strengthen the protection of the external border of the EU, intensify the control of the influx of citizens of third countries, and ensure an adequate integration policy. In particular, it is necessary to improve tools for data collection and processing, develop and implement new technologies for detecting illegal migrants, ensuring security at external and internal borders; improve integration policy. Only a compre­hensive approach to improving the organizational and legal mechanism for ensuring migration security will help to cope with modern challenges and threats that may cause migration flows to the EU.

The evolution of EUropean border governance through crisis: Frontex and the interplay of protracted and acute crisis narratives

Crisis narratives are widespread in migration and border governance globally, including in EUrope. In response, a body of scholarship that critically scrutinizes crisis narratives and imaginaries has emerged. Building on and further extending this scholarship, this article questions the dichotomy between ‘normality’ and ‘crisis’ in border governance. Focusing on four moments in which crises were declared in relation to migration and EUropean borders and their immediate aftermath, we examine how the European Union border agency Frontex framed these events through an analysis of its press releases, annual reports, and practices. In so doing, we argue that narratives pertaining to border practices beyond moments of ‘crisis’ invoke fears of uncontrolled mass migration of unruly ‘others’ as an ever-present possibility and perpetual threat to EUrope. Within this article, we propose a differentiation between protracted and acute crisis narratives. Focusing on the political work that these two narratives do in relation to EUropean border governance, we demonstrate that the interplay between these crises narratives has contributed to Frontex’s evolution and expansion over the last two decades while further consolidating the externalization and fortification of EUropean borders.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TRAINING OF LOW-RANKING BORDER GUARDS IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF SLOVAKIA AND UKRAINE

The article reveals the content of the professional training of police officers of the Republic of Slovakia, in particular, providing the professional education to future low-ranking border guard specialists at the Secondary Vocational School of the Police Corps in the city of Kosice, which is the departmental training center for the Slovak border police. The educational curriculums and peculiarities of the training of future border police officers in the following specializations: “General Training” and “Border and Aliens Police” have been described. The peculiarities of providing the qualification training and training for professional development have been highlighted. It has been concluded that the content of the professional training of future border guard specialists of the Republic of Slovakia in departmental educational institutions allows to provide them with the basic knowledge, skills, abilities and competences necessary for carrying out professional activities in the border and migration service in accordance with the generally pted European standards for the training of border guards and the adopted Unified Program basic level for the training of border guard specialists (Common Core Curriculum), developed by the FRONTEX agency (European Border and Coast Guard Agency). A comparative analysis of the professional training of low-ranking border guards of the Police Corps of the Slovak Republic and junior personnel of the State Border Service of Ukraine has been conducted. It has been concluded that the content of the training of specialists of the above-mentioned countries has both common and different features. It has been revealed that the partial discrepancy is due to the peculiarity of the national legislation of Ukraine in the part that is related to the separation of the functions of state bodies performing their activities on the state border.

TURKEY’S EXTERNAL DIFFERENTIATED INTEGRATION WITH THE EU IN THE CONTEXT OF INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENT AND ITS RELATIONS WITH FRONTEX

Amaç: Bu çalışma, Türkiye’nin sınır yönetimi konusunda AB ile harici farklılaştırılmış entegrasyonunun sınırlarını ve belirleyici faktörlerini Entegre Sınır Yönetimi (ESY) sisteminin uygulanması ve AB Sınır ve Sahil Güvenlik Ajansı (FRONTEX) ile işlevsel işbirliğinin durumu kapsamında analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Makalenin kuramsal bölümünde, harici farklılaştırılmış entegrasyon ve belirleyici faktörleri, farklı politika aktarımı modelleri ve literatür haritalandırılması üzerinden kavramsallaştırılmaktadır. Ampirik bölümdeyse, ESY’nin uygulanması ve FRONTEX ile işbirliği konularında gerçekleşen farklılaştırılmış entegrasyonun kapsamı Avrupa Komisyonu Türkiye ilerleme/ülke raporları temel alınarak incelenmektedir. Entegrasyonun kapsamını ve sınırlarını etkileyen faktörler, makalenin kuramsal bölümünde gerçekleştirilen haritalandırmadan yararlanılarak ele alınmaktadır.Bulgular: Makalenin ana bulgusu, cazip ve güvenilir teşviklerin Türkiye’nin sınır yönetimi konusunda AB ile entegrasyonunu kolaylaştırırken, sektörel siyasallaşmanın ve öngörülen yüksek uyum maliyetlerinin harici farklılaştırılmış entegrasyonu olumsuz etkilediğidir.Özgünlük: AB-Türkiye ilişkilerinin ele alındığı yazında, harici farklılaştırılmış entegrasyon konusundaki kuramsal çalışmalar az sayıda olmakla birlikte, oldukça da yeni bir alandır. Bunun ötesinde, kuramsal tartışmaları farklı politika alanları bağlamında inceleyen sınırlı sayıda ampirik çalışma bulunmaktadır. Bu makale, AB-Türkiye ilişkilerini, göç ve sınır yönetimi gibi oldukça önemli ve güncel bir politika alanında, harici farklılaştırılmış entegrasyon tartışmaları bağlamında inceleyerek özellikle Türkçe yazına önemli ve özgün bir katkı sağlamaktadır.

The political economy of bordering and the reproduction of borders in the case of Frontex

The EU-border agency Frontex is one of the main actors involved in the bordering of the EU. Its practice reaches from the deployment of border police and equipment to the production of knowledge about the border and migration. Departing from a critical analysis of the documentaries "Frontex – Einsatz gegen Flüchtlinge – Festung Europa" (2013) and “Die Frontex-Recherche: Eine EU-Agentur und der Umgang mit Menschenrechtsverletzungen” (2019) on Frontex, this article examines the mutual interrelations of discursive and material bordering. Based on a combined reading of Laclau's work on difference and Mezzadra and Neilsons concept of borders as tools of structuring social reality through difference, the reproduction of the border is discussed. The border becomes the place where the border is enacted and reproduced on a material and discursive level. This practice of bordering is rooted in a reproduction of capital and of racist imaginations of refugees.

PECULIARITIES OF POLICE CORPS OFFICERS’ PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AT THE POLICE CORPS ACADEMY OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

The article is devoted to the disclosure of the peculiarities of the professional training of Police Corps officers of the Slovak Republic, and the professional education at the Academy of the Police Corps of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Slovakia in particular. The content of the professional training of future Police Corps officers of the Slovak Republic in the departmental educational institution has been analyzed. It has been established that at the Academy, cadets of higher education undergo training at three levels of education (Bachelor, Master and Doctorate) in accordance with generally accepted European standards of professional training of border guards and the adopted Unified Basic Level Curriculum for the training of border guard specialists (Common Core Curriculum) developed by the FRONTEX agency (European Border and Coast Guard Agency). 
 It has been defined that Police Corps officers obtain higher education at three levels of education. Thus, the Bachelor's degree lasts for 3 years full-time and 4 years part-time. Police officers also obtain the Master’s degree in both forms of education. The term of study is 2 years (full-time) and 3 years - part-time, respectively. In addition, Masters’ students take an oral exam to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy. Doctoral students study 3 years (full-time) and 4 years (part-time), respectively. The education received by the graduates of the above-mentioned departmental educational institution is equivalent to that which prepares the personnel of other police agencies of the EU countries. This ensures the mobility of graduates not only within Slovakia, but also within the European Union.
 A detailed analysis of the accredited training curricula “Law Enforcement Insurance of the Security of People and Facilities” and “Law Enforcement Services in Public Administration” has been carried out. It has been determined that the training at the Police Corps Academy in Bratislava is conducted in accordance with them.
 The structure of the above-mentioned professional training has been characterized, namely forms of education (full-time and part-time), training terms and educational workload (list of academic disciplines, their distribution by semesters and types of classes, etc.).

Peculiarities of Distance Learning Platforms Usage in Law Enforcement Educational Institutions during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The article reviews the peculiarities of distance learning platforms usage in law enforcement educational institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Distance learning at U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, which is based on the Online Campus have been substantiated. Particular attention is paid to topical issues of training on such online training mod-ules of the Campus: crime scene, driving training, drugs, firearms, health, interviews, investigation, law, topography, maritime training, personal security, technical means, terrorism, stopping vehicles, etc. There are also programs to study the courses "Small Arms" and "Use of Force" in the online training modules of the Campus. The specifics of professional training of border guards in Asian countries have been revealed: the use of platforms of law enforcement agencies; focus of training on the devel-opment of basic competencies and the ability to solve problem situations; the opportunity to take online courses for all categories of staff at a con-venient time; creation of a three-level round-the-clock system of functioning of training of specialists. Peculiarities of professional training of border guards of European countries have been outlined considering the usage of both the platforms of institutions and joint platforms of international organizations, namely: web platform Virtual Aula of Agency FRONTEX; CEPOL DL (e-Net) web platform; European Coast Guard Training (ECGTP) platforms; ILIAS EU Mission EUBAM; Connect & Learn UNHCR; UNODC and others. Special attention is paid to the capabilities of the Virtual Aula web platform for training teachers, instructors, external experts, etc. Web platform Virtual Aula of Agency FRONTEX presents up-to-date information on educational programs conducted in Europe. Characteristics of distance learning platforms usage in higher law enforcement educational institutions in Ukraine have been presented. Distance learning course of the English language for border guards have been developed and implemented. Considerable attention is also paid to the disclosure of online assessment of knowledge: the test of self-control on the topics, modules, and procedure of final assessment.

Developing training program for remotely piloted aircraft operators in the sphere of border protection: european context

The study reveals the theoretical and practical approaches of developing training programs for Remotely Piloted Aircraft operators in the sphere of border surveillance of the state border protection agencies of the European Union and Ukraine using multicriteria optimization to find required rational parameters. The results of the study within the educational grant of Frontex Agency conducted by the team of experts from the Border Guard Services of Ukraine and EU countries were used to enhance the training program of air reconnaissance units of border protection bodies at the Main Training Centre of the Border Guard Service of Ukraine based on the best EU practices, in order to ensure obtaining of knowledge and practical skills by personnel of the border guard Remotely Piloted Aircraft external crews, which will increase the level of interoperability and professional competence of border guards while conducting border surveillance tasks.

More Powers – More Problems: the European Parliament against the Frontex Agency

The article analyses the accusations made by the press against the Frontex agency (The European Border and Coast Guard Agency – EBCG). Media investigations have revealed noncompliance with the norms of European and international law in the agency’s operations, including violations of migrants’ rights during maritime search and rescue operations: pushback of boats, abuse of authority during return of those who were refused asylum. The author presents the positions of the Council and the Commission, emphasizing that the activities and reputation of the EBCG are very important for the EU leadership, since the agency’s reform is one of the few points of the program document «Pact on Migration and Asylum» that does not cause objections from the Member States. The article also touches upon the issues of arming the agency’s personnel, which cannot be organized without a clear legal justification. While agreeing with the Commission’s assertion that the increased attention to Frontex’s activities is due to the prospects for expanding its powers, staff and funding, the author still concludes that the agency’s problems reflect the unsatisfactory state of the EU’s migration and asylum policy.

The path to the Themis Frontex Operation: Italy and SAR operations in the Central Mediterranean Sea

To challenge the consolidated illegal migration routes, in February 2018, the European Union Frontex Agency launched a new sea border control mission. Named Operation Themis, it aimed to replace the Triton Operation (conducted by Italy since 2014) and support the Italian government with new border surveillance and securitization approach in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The Themis Operation has taken a different mandate from its predecessor: a stronger focus on law enforcement and border security, a reduced mandate of sea patrolling, this time much closer to the Italian territorial waters (circa 30 miles zone closed to the Italian shore). But the most important novelty was that the rescued migrants would have been disembarked in the closest port to the point where the rescue at sea was carried out, instead of bringing them only in the Italian ports, like in the case of Triton. Finally, it is not foreseen to transfer rescued people to third countries, outside the European Union. As a consequence, the Maltese government has rejected being a part of the Themis operation, assuming that this could lead to an increase of migrants disembarking only in Malta. This attitude has reflected the disunity among EU states of how to handle massive migration via the Central Mediterranean. This study presents the main stages that led to the new Frontex operation and how the ‘migration crisis’ has affected Italian immigration politics, particularly during Matteo Salvini's tenure in the Ministry of the Interior. Also, it includes a press review, an analysis of the official information provided by the Frontex Agency, and the most relevant secondary sources on this issue.

ПРОФЕСІЙНА МОБІЛЬНІСТЬ ЯК ЧИННИК ГОТОВНОСТІ ПРИКОРДОННИКІВ ДО ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ЗА ФАХОМ: ВІТЧИЗНЯНИЙ ТА ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКИЙ ДОСВІД

The article presents an analysis and generalization of approaches to the nature and content of professional mobility. It is concluded that professional mobility is directly interrelated with readiness to work in the specialty, since these two concepts have common elements in the structure, in particular professional knowledge, abilities, skills and professionally important qualities. Taking into account the results of the analysis of research related to the problem of professional mobility, it was found out that this concept can be defined as readiness and ability to work in the context of transformation of professional (production, service) tasks, development of new specialties or changing them. Professional mobility covers the ability to successfully switch to another activity or change types of activities, effectively use the system of generalized professional techniques to perform any tasks in the professional sphere, and it is relatively easy to move from one type of activity to another. For professional mobility, it is important to have a high level of generalized professional knowledge, experience in improving them and obtaining them independently. The results of the review of publications on the research topic suggest that there are two types of mobility – horizontal and vertical. Horizontal mobility involves the transition of an individual or social object from one social position to another, which is at the same level, as well as a change of place of residence. As for vertical mobility, it involves the transition of an individual or social object from one social position to another. It was found out that mobility is an integrative property that is formed and developed during practical, educational, social, socio-cultural activities of a person and provides him with the opportunity to realize his inclinations, abilities, opportunities. It was found that in the context of training of border guard agencies' personnel in the EU, professional mobility of border guards is ensured by their high level of interoperability, which is a necessary condition for effective organization of protection of EU external borders by representatives of various European border guard agencies. The most common form of ensuring the professional mobility of European border guards is working within the Permanent Corps of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex. The training of Ukrainian Border Guard Agency's staff in the context of European integration requires the study of the experience of border agencies in EU countries to provide conditions for the development of professional mobility of border guards, which requires further thorough study of the outlined topic.

МЕТОДОЛОГІЧНА МОДЕЛЬ ПОРІВНЯЛЬНО-ПЕДАГОГІЧНОГО ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ ФАХІВЦІВ З ОХОРОНИ КОРДОНУ В КРАЇНАХ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКОГО СОЮЗУ

У статті на основі узагальненого досвіду прикордонних відомств країн Європейського Союзу та праць вітчизняних та закордонних компаративістів реалізовано методологічну модель порівняльно-педагогічного дослідження професійної підготовки фахівців з охорони кордону в країнах Європейського Союзу. Висвітлено актуальність порівняльно-педагогічного дослідження у цій сфері і розробки подібної моделі для позначення орієнтирів розбудови системи професійної підготовки українських прикордонників в умовах євроінтеграції. У зв’язку із цим особливого інтересу набуває систематизація і узагальнення досвіду прикордонних відомств країн ЄС та Агенції FRONTEX, які займаються підготовкою європейських фахівців з охорони кордону. Побудована методологічна модель охоплює чотири рівні: теоретико-аналітичний, осмислювально-методологічний, узагальнювально-інтерпретаційний та порівняльно-результативний. Рівні містять методологічні підходи, методи їх реалізації, принципи проведення компаративних досліджень та враховують хронологічні межі становлення та розвитку уніфікованої професійної підготовки фахівців з охорони кордону в країнах Європейського Союзу. Розглянуто питання застосування розглянутої методологічної моделі у практичній площині з метою дослідження системи професійної підготовки фахівців з охорони кордону в країнах Європейського Союзу. Автором було проведено аналіз можливості використання цього досвіду з метою його впровадження в систему професійної підготовки персоналу прикордонного відомства України.

Coping with neo-nomadic mobility: Frontex’s agent power in the EU’s extended borderland

Migration movements to Europe, triggered by dramatic political and social developments in North Africa and the Middle East, have contributed to a decrease in the level of security in the European Union and to the crisis of this organization. This article addresses the issue of migration in the context of the phenomenon of neo-nomadism and its effects on the policies of the member states of the European Union, as well as its institutions and agencies. The consequences of neo-nomadism are analyzed in regard to ​​the EU’s "extended borderland" on the example of the activities of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in the Central Mediterranean. Frontex’s joint operations "Triton" and "Themis" serve as a useful frame of reference in examining this agency’s "agent power" expressed in activities concerning migratory movements in the EU's "extended borderland". The hypothesis developed in this article holds that the dynamics of mobility resulting from the specific features of neo-nomadism activates the "agent power" of entities involved in mobility and border management in two forms: inclusionary, for humanitarian reasons, and exclusionary, for the sake of security. As an agency responsible for supporting the management of the EU's external borders and implementing return policy, Frontex has concentrated its agent power on securing territory, borders and population at the expense of humanitarian search-and-rescue operations. Joint operations "Triton" and "Themis" have clearly highlighted the trend towards an exclusionary approach to migrants. Post-functionalism referring to the original conceptualisation put forward by Hooghe and Marx is the theoretical frame adopted in the present study. The research method is qualitative, based on desk research includng the analysis and interpretation of primary and secondary sources.

Сучасні процеси трансформації викликів та загроз національній безпеці країн-членів ЄС

It is substantiated that, today, civil and military analysts are interested in acquiring up-to-date knowledge on the transformation of challenges and threats to the national security of EU Member States, with not only military and national security issues but also virtually all spheres of human life. It is determined that the European Union, unlike the North Atlantic Alliance, is not a military and political organization and never intended to become one, but from the very beginning of its existence, the Member States of the European Union were aware of how important a component of socio-economic and political relations is. security for the prosperity and freedom of a democratic society, economic internationalization, the development of science, medicine, industry. There is a particular danger of hybrid wars, which is that the enemy behaves extremely cunningly and cunningly, often making himself a friend. Therefore, in today's world, the devastating effects of hybrid warfare cannot be overstated, which in itself is also a challenge to modern democracy, the preservation of state sovereignty and the development of civil society. It is proved that special attention in the European Union is also paid to the development of rapid response to environmental and energy problems, cybercrime, intensification of interethnic, interfaith and other conflicts by eliminating procedural, financial and political factors that hamper the deployment of fighting, reduce the effectiveness of military operations under a common security and defense policy. Conflict prevention is proposed to be implemented through the development of a mechanism for early detection of threats to the European security system in order to respond to modern realities. As the experience of Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown, the European Union, for a long time, did not receive proper signals from Kiev about the threat to European security coming from the East. The emergence of such a mechanism should be preceded by the formation of a common center for the collection, analysis and coordination of information to ensure national priorities for the development of the security of states. A similar mechanism already exists in the FRONTEX Agency, but only at the level of public order and the state border.

CSOs and EU Border Management: Cooperation or Resistance? The Case of Frontex Consultative Forum

The so-called European migrant or refugee crisis, started in 2015, has marked the climax of an increasing European tension on the management of the external borders, tension that had been building up since the turn of the century. In this particularly turbulent period, civil society organizations (CSOs) lobbying for human and migrant rights have expanded their presence not only operatively at the land and sea borders of the European Union (EU) but also at the EU governance level. With the growing importance of agencies in the EU executive space in terms of competences and resources (i.e., agencification), advocacy groups have started to direct their advocacy efforts toward EU agencies, particularly in the Area of Freedom Security and Justice. The most controversial EU agency in this scenario is the 13-year-old agency Frontex, now called European Border and Coast Guard Agency, which is also where the presence of CSOs has become more substantial in terms of competences and ability to access information on the operational and strategic activity of the agency. The aim of this article is to establish how this relationship between Frontex and CSOs has developed over time and what has been the impact of this relationship on the agency on fundamental rights matters. This study addresses these two issues by, first, analyzing the CSOs represented within Frontex Consultative Forum (CF) on fundamental rights, their aims and lobbying strategies vis-à-vis Frontex; second, the evolution of their relationship with the agency and the rationale of their permanence within the CF; and, last, their impact on Frontex’s understanding of fundamental rights. Considerations on advocacy activity outside of the CF are also presented by stressing the difference in ideology between organizations that decided to advocate for fundamental rights from within or outside Frontex.

BORDER GUARDS’ DISTANCE LEARNING DEVELOPMENT IN THE EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

The research reveals the peculiarities of the Distance Learning (DL) development in the framework of border guards training in the European Union (EU) countries. Theoretical and practical concepts, modern stage and peculiarities of border guards’ DL development were substantiated in the article. The special attention was paid to possibilities of educational web platforms, which are widely utilized in the training of personnel of the border guard agencies, namely: Web Platform Virtual Aula of the FRONTEX Agency; E-Net Web Platform of the CEPOL (The European Police College); EU Coast Guard Functions Training Portal (CGFTP); ILIAS Learning Platform of the EU Mission EUBAM (EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine); Connect & Learn platform of the UNHCR (The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees); Global eLearning Program of the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime). The authors have also conducted the comparative analysis of DL courses of educational platforms with border guard components in the EU countries, which showed that the platform with the biggest number of border guard-oriented courses is Virtual Aula platform of FRONTEX Agency. Suggestions and proposals on DL development and prospective directions based on the experience gained during DL introduction into the system of the border guards’ training system supported by the survey results are given in the conclusion of this article in order to facilitate the improvement of border guards’ DL systems in the EU countries. The prospects of the border guards’ DL system development are based on 5 key factors: aligning all DL training courses to the Sectoral Qualification Framework and Common Core Curricular for border guarding: unification of the skills and knowledge of European border guards; enhanced use of the Internet and social media; introduction of common educational web-platforms; organizing specialized training for the specialists in DL use and management, and developing common eLearning tools and programs.

UKRAINIAN BORDER GUARDS INTEROPERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN THE FRAMEWORK OF COMMON EUROPEAN BORDER GUARD STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION

The paper reports on an innovative approach to evaluate the level of harmonisation of Ukrainian border guards training with the common standards for border guarding in the European Union (EU) member-states. There are different types of borders and different organisational structures in border guard agencies in the EU. The authors present the results of a research aimed at analysing the level of interoperability of Ukrainian border guards. In case of border guards’ training, interoperability stands for their level of professional readiness for joint actions with representatives of foreign border guard authorities. For this purpose, the EU border guard agencies under the supervision of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex Agency) introduced the Interoperability Assessment Program (IAP), as the means to assess, first of all, the level of integration of the Common Core Curriculum (CCC) for basic border guards’ training into border guard authorities’ national curricula. The programme’s results provide information on the degree to which the CCC meets the requirements regarding its content. The overall CCC implementation at the NASBGSU was 77.5%, namely: by modules (General Studies – 95%; Land Border Module – 75%; Air Border Module – 81%; Sea Border Module – 58,6%); by content (General studies – 96%; Legislation – 73,9%; Practice – 80,8%). The results of the evaluation held at the National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine named after Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, involving cadets of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Humanities showed that Ukrainian border guards and their system of education and training are in line with the EU member-states’ common standards and the Ukrainian border guard agency personnel can be effectively used for the various operational and service activities of protecting different border sectors.