Press Release: Council adopts regulation establishing the EUROSUR system

The Council on 22 October 2013 adopted the regulation establishing the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR).

The aim of the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) is to reinforce control of the Schengen external borders. In particular, EUROSUR will establish a mechanism for member states' authorities carrying out border surveillance activities to share operational information and to cooperate with each other and with the FRONTEX Agency in order to reduce the number of irregular migrants entering the EU undetected, and to increase internal security by preventing cross-border crime, such as trafficking in human beings and the smuggling of drugs.

A security strategy paper by EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton produced on the 15 October 2013 had defended that EU countries should use military-grade drones for border surveillance.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Cecilia Malmström welcomes the European Parliament's vote on EUROSUR http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-cecilia-malmstrom-welcomes-the-european-parliaments-vote-on-eurosur/

EUObserver, 22.10.13: Ashton calls for military-grade drones in EU airspace http://euobserver.com/defence/121854

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