On 04.10.2023, in the presence of Mr. Secretary of State, General Police Quaestor Bogdan Despescu, Mr. Secretary of State, Principal Police Quaestor Mihai Cătălin Necula and the Inspector General of the Romanian Border Police, Police Quaestor Victor Stefan Ivașcu the inauguration of the headquarters for the ETIAS National Unit - European Travel Information and Authorization System, structure of the General Inspectorate of the Border Police, through which travel authorizations will be issued for third-party citizens exempted from the obligation to hold a visa, took place. This system allows to assess whether their presence on the territory of the EU member states constitutes a security risk, a risk of illegal immigration, serious criminality or a high epidemic risk.
The construction of the building was carried out within the project ROFSIB2020OS2A13P05 - "Operationalization of the ETIAS National Unit", project financed from the Internal Security Fund, Borders and Visas component.
The ETIAS building is a modern, administrative construction, and the rooms are intended for office, technical and administrative spaces to ensure optimal working conditions for the staff. This is also where the EES-ETIAS Central Access Points will carry out their activity.
The value of the investment was approximately 27.3 million lei, a fully equipped building, both with specific technical equipment and furniture. The financing sources of the project are represented by the EU financial contribution from non-reimbursable European funds and funds allocated from the state budget.
Following the awarding procedure by public auction organized at the level of the institution, the building was built and operationalized within the term established according to the contract (17 months from the date of signing).
According to Regulation (EU) 2018/1240, ETIAS is a "European travel information and authorization system" for third-country nationals exempted from the obligation to hold a visa when crossing external borders that allows to assess whether the presence on the territory of the member states of to those third-country nationals would constitute a security risk, an illegal immigration risk, serious criminality or a high epidemic risk. The ETIAS travel authorization will represent a new condition of entry into the territory of the Member States for citizens of third countries exempted from the obligation to obtain a visa.
Travelers must apply for authorization before traveling to the EU and have it when they present themselves at border control. The system will make available, in online format, an application form that the applicant will fill in with information about his identity, travel document, residence, contact details, as well as with answers to a series of general questions.
Each Member State shall set up a national ETIAS unit responsible for examining applications and taking decisions on issuing, refusing, canceling or revoking travel authorizations when they are not issued automatically.
In Romania, this unit will be established at the level of the General Inspectorate of the Border Police. The ETIAS National Unit will operate on a 24/7 basis and will be staffed by border police officers, as well as all the necessary functionalities to ensure the timely and efficient performance of specific duties.
Applicants who have been denied travel authorization will have the right to exercise an appeal.
At the national level, Law no. 300/2022 was adopted, by which the ETIAS National Unit is designated as the competent authority for fulfilling the responsibilities provided for in EU Regulation 2018/1240 establishing the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
Currently, all the activities necessary for the preparation of the operationalization of ETIAS are carried out (phased staffing with professional staff, elaboration of operational work procedures, work meetings with competent and responsible public authorities and institutions at national level, participation in activities in the field carried out at international level, exchanges of experience, etc.), to be operationalized based on the implementation calendar of the ETIAS system established at the European level.
Additional details about the project: https://www.politiadefrontiera.ro/ro/main/i-sistemul-european-de-informatii-si-de-autorizare-privind-calatoriile-etias-33821.html
