Yesterday, October 10, 2023, at Sighetu Marmației - operational area for the implementation of the CENTURION pilot project regarding the Frontex Chain of Command, the plenary meeting for the assessment of phase I of the project took place, on which occasion aspects regarding the continuation of the implementation of it in new operational areas on Romania's borders were also addressed.
The event took place in the presence of Mr. Lars GERDES - the deputy executive director for returns and operations of the European Border Police and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) and Police Quaestor Victor-Ştefan IVAȘCU - inspector general of the Romanian Border Police.
Also, a representative of the European Commission, members with direct attributions in the implementation of operational projects from both the Frontex Agency and the Romanian Border Police, as well as experts from the Member States, were also present at the activities.
The purpose of the meeting in the operational area was the closing of phase I of the implementation of the CENTURION pilot project at Romania's border with Ukraine, respectively with the Republic of Moldova, but also preparations for the expansion of the geographical test section of the pilot project at Romania's border with Serbia.
At the opening of the event, the Inspector General of the Romanian Border Police, Police Quaestor Victor-Ştefan IVAȘCU stated that "the pilot project carried out at the northern and eastern borders of Romania, launched on June 14 this year, constitutes a unique project, through the vision it puts into practice and through the special efforts it has concentrated. Its preparation involved the contribution of officials from the FRONTEX Agency, but also experts from the Romanian Border Police, especially those who have a long experience of planning and operational coordination of border surveillance and control missions. The success recorded in phase I of the project constituted an important premise in the acceptance by the Romanian Border Police of the extension of the implementation period and the introduction of new operational areas at Romania's borders''.
"Together we are building the future of the Frontex Agency and the Standing Corps, the first uniformed service, at European level, in the field of law enforcement" declared the Deputy Executive Director of Frontex, Lars Gerdes. "I am especially grateful to the Romanian Border Police who demonstrated great devotion to the European cause by hosting this project at its borders".
The activities carried out focused on the presentation by the experts of Frontex and the Romanian Border Police of the concepts of the project, the implementation method, the execution phases, the evaluation and the future perspectives.
We remind you that the purpose of this pilot project is to test the planning and implementation of the new operational models on the Frontex Chain of Command for the Standing Corps, which considers the following concepts: The New Chain of Command, including administrative management and hierarchical lines, and the two new options for Operational Concepts for the Standing Corps.
On a practical level, this project aims to increase the operational performance of intervention at the external borders of the European Union, by creating a decentralized command system for the management of personnel from the Standing Corps within the framework of joint operations carried out under the auspices of Frontex.
The fact that the Romanian Border Police has the managerial and operational capacity to professionally and efficiently manage border surveillance and control, as well as the current geostrategic context, were the basis of the decision to select Romania as the host country for testing these concepts.
At the end of the meeting, it was concluded that the implementation of the project facilitated the knowledge and direct contact of the parties involved, and on a practical level it was found that it led to a faster way of making decisions, but also to the efficient use of human and technical resources.
