I527-290 ESRIF Final Report (WEB).indd - European Commission

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Under certain scenarios, Europe might face a humanitarian crisis at its external borders as a result of war or major disruptions
in neighbouring areas. These situations, even if with low probability of occurrence, will require border guards to cooperate
with other national authorities, possibly including the armed forces and humanitarian organizations, in order to provide
support to persons in need of international protection, whilst maintaining control of the fl ow of people crossing the
external border.
In the long term, the opportunities for organised crime might diff er according to the character of the prevailing scenario. A
more open and integrated global economy might off er new opportunities also for organised crime groups, while increased
security measures might restrict them.
Border Checks at border crossing points
The challenges relevant to border checks at border crossing points are primarily to prohibit unwanted activities, while
facilitating the large volume of legitimate border crossings. The challenges are mainly of the following types:
People hidden in vehicles or in cargo
People seeking access on the basis of false identity or false documents
Overstayers
People carrying infectious diseases
Closely linked to border control is customs control, which aims at the detection and prevention of illicit goods and substances.
This category comprises, inter alia, weapons, drugs, CBRNE hazards, legal goods that are subject to duty, goods subject to
import or export restrictions (e.g. antiquities, ivory, hard wood, and strategic products) and goods that fail to meet health and
safety standards.
A common challenge for customs and border control authorities is to accommodate the ever-increasing fl ow of cargo and
people crossing the external borders of the EU, without undue delay or with minimal intrusion, employing aff ordable technical
and human resources.
External land borders
Whereas vehicles are normally employed for transport up to the border area, actual illegal border crossings take place on foot,
seeking to exploit diffi cult terrain and poor visibility to avoid detection.
External maritime borders
The threats relevant to the maritime environment are primarily of two types:
Risks and threats related to safety (which may have dramatic environmental and socio-economic consequences)
Risks and threats related to security (unlawful activities: traffi cking in human beings and narcotics, illegal migration, terrorism,
piracy, etc.)
Many of the security threats involve the use of small craft, rubber boats, or even semi-submersibles. The challenge here is to
detect and track these small objects and to distinguish them as possible threats..
Other maritime security threats involve illicit activities under the cover of regular shipping activity (e.g. on board of merchant
and ferry vessels). Illegal migrants or illicit goods can be hidden amongst the cargo and can then be dispersed en route or
when arriving at seaports.
Airspace
So far, the European Union has not yet seen aerial security threats to any signifi cant extent. However, in other countries aircraft
are commonly used for drug smuggling and other illegal activities. Security threats coming from the air could include:
Low fl ying aircraft (general aviation)
Renegade (rogue) aircraft
Gliders
LAVs (Lighter than Air Vehicles)
UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)
ESRIF FINAL REPORT - PART 2 • Working Group: Border Security