As part of the “EU4IBM-Resilience” project, a webinar series was developed to support and enhance Ukraine’s efforts in harmonising the Integrated Border Management (IBM) legislation according to the EU standards. On 25 April 2024, the first webinar session was conducted for the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) of Ukraine.

The online session focused on Romania’s journey from an EU candidate to a member state status, highlighting the essential changes and challenges in border management in the context of the EU Frontex Regulation.

The project’s expert Dan Mocioi provided extensive information and in-depth insights into the historical background and operational aspects of Romania’s cooperation with Frontex. He led his audience through both the procedural adaptations and institutional reforms necessary for effective integration into the EU’s border management framework.

“The discussion today highlighted the complex journey Ukraine has ventured into on its way towards EU integration,” stated Vyacheslav Toporov, EU4IBM-Resilience Senior Project Manager. “ Learning from Romania’s experiences sets some practical benchmarks for advancing Ukraine’s border management reforms to meet EU standards.”

 Some participants of the webinar shared their feedback on the session’s relevance and the depth of the information provided. “The insights shared today were extremely practical and discussion-provoking. We had an excellent opportunity to broaden our understanding of successful integration strategies that we can adapt to our context in Ukraine,” commented one of the border guards.

The EU4IBM project will continue to support its partners through upcoming webinars and study visits, focusing on various aspects of legal approximation and border management strategies. This webinar is one of many in a series aimed at preparing Ukraine’s SBGS and other national IBM stakeholders for efficient harmonisation of the national IBM-related legislation. It will allow the incorporation of EU best practices and align with the technical and operational strategies of the European Integrated Border Management system.

Background information: The project “EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine –Resilience (EU4IBM-Resilience)” is funded by the EU and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). The project is aimed at building the resilience of the Ukrainian border management agencies during wartime, as well as supporting further reforms to approximate the border management system of Ukraine to the EU standards and best practices in line with the Integrated Border Management Strategy of Ukraine adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on 24 July 2019. The project runs from December 2022 until May 2025.