From 29-30 July, ICMPD carried out an expert support mission to Moldova to facilitate the development of the regulatory framework required for launching the national Passenger Information Unit. The unit enables Moldovan authorities to conduct passenger screening and thus contribute to the effective management of the state border according to IBM principles.
As Moldova progresses towards EU accession, there is an increased expectation for aligning the country’s laws and regulations to the relevant EU Acquis. In this regard, the government launched a comprehensive self-screening process, including the area of integrated border management (IBM). Part of this alignment effort is also the recently enacted law on the use of Passenger Name Register (PNR) data, and the subsequent commitment to set up a Passenger Information Unit by the end of 2024.
The Passenger Information Unit is envisaged to be an inter-agency task force structure modelled after some of the best European practices. While the unit will be hosted at the Border Police’s premises, officers will be deployed from various law-enforcement agencies, including the Customs Service, the National Police, and the Information and Security Service. The Passenger Information Unit will also cooperate with other national and international agencies such as Interpol and Europol.
On 30 July, a dedicated working group session gathered practitioners from the mentioned law-enforcement agencies. This is the first in a series of meetings throughout the next months aimed at drafting the Regulation on the organisation and functioning of the Passenger Information Unit, as well as a series of relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These SOPs are designed to enhance the operational efficiency of the newly launched Unit, with a special focus on establishing inter-agency exchange and cooperation, collecting, managing, and evaluating the information, developing risk profiles, and creating watch lists, among others.
The working group sessions are led by an expert duo – both EU and local – provided through the SCOP 3.1 project. The experts assist with the group facilitation and drafting process, using European experience and best practices. They ensure alignment with the relevant EU Acquis while considering the national regulatory system in place and pertaining to local requirements.
The project “Support to the Complex Improvement of Migration and Border Management in Moldova” (SCOP) aims to help Moldovan authorities with the consolidation of the migration and border management system in line with the EU Acquis. The objective of its Component 3.1. "Strengthening Border Police operational capacities for border security" is to contribute to Moldovan Border Police’s resilience and capacities, including effective management of the state border and timely and adequate response to crisis situations. The action is implemented by ICMPD and is funded by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.