Table of Contents:
Immigration liaison officers’ network
Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Immigration liaison officers’ network
Topics
These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.
Justice freedom and security > Free movement of persons asylum and immigration
Immigration liaison officers’ network
Document or Iniciative
Council Regulation (EC) No 377/2004 of 19 February 2004 on the creation of an immigration liaison officers network [See amending act(s)].
Summary
Each Member State posts an immigration liaison officer (ILO) * to its consular authorities in a non-Member State. The ILO maintains direct contacts with the authorities in the host country in order to improve exchanges of information concerning:
- flows of illegal immigrants originating from or transiting through the host country;
- the routes followed by those flows of immigrants;
- their modus operandi;
- the existence of criminal organisations involved in the smuggling of immigrants;
- the incidents that may be the cause for new developments with respect to these flows of immigrants;
- the methods used for falsifying identity documents and travel documents;
- how best to assist the authorities in host countries in preventing these immigration flows;
- how best to facilitate the return of illegal immigrants to their countries of origin.
Member States inform one another, the Council and the Commission of their secondments of immigration liaison officers. This information is published on the secure web-based network for the coordination and exchange of information on irregular migration (ICONet).
ILO posted to the same country form a local network in which they:
- exchange information and practical experience, specifically through regular meetings and via ICONet;
- coordinate positions to be adopted in contacts with commercial carriers;
- attend joint specialised training courses and organise training sessions for consular officers of Member States posted in the host country;
- adopt common approaches as to methods of gathering information;
- establish contact with similar networks established in the host country and neighbouring countries.
Meetings are held either at the initiative of the Member State holding the Council presidency or at the initiative of other Member States. Representatives of the European Commission and the Frontex agency participate in them, unless operational considerations require meetings to be held in their absence.
Member States may bilaterally or multilaterally agree that ILOs posted by a European Union (EU) country also look after the interests of one or more other Member States. They may also decide to share certain tasks among themselves.
At the end of each semester the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU draws up a report for the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the activities of the ILOs in the countries and regions of particular interest to the EU with regard to immigration. This report is drawn up in accordance with a model provided in Commission Decision 2005/687/EC. On the basis of this report, the Commission then drafts an annual summary of the development of the ILO networks.
Context
This Regulation follows on from the plan for the management of the external borders of the Member States of the EU, which envisages the setting up of networks of immigration liaison officers posted in non-Member States.
Following the Thessaloniki European Council in June 2003 and drawing on experience gained in project management, such as the Belgian-led Western Balkans ILO network, the existence of the network was formally recognised through a legally binding act.
| Key terms used in the act |
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References
| Act | Entry into force | Deadline for transposition in the Member States | Official Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regulation (EC) No 377/2004 |
5.10.2004 |
_ |
OJ L 316, 15.12.2000 |
| Amending act(s) | Entry into force | Deadline for transposition in the Member States | Official Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regulation (EC) No 493/2011 |
16.6.2011 |
_ |
OJ L 141, 27.5.2011 |
Related Act
Council Decision 2005/267/EC of 16 March 2005 establishing a secure web-based Information and Coordination Network for Member States’ Migration Management Services [Official Journal L 83 of 1.4.2055].
The ICONet network enables Member States to exchange information quickly on illegal migration flows, irregular entry and immigration and the return of illegal residents. The aim is to combat irregular immigration and human trafficking more effectively.