External Borders Fund (EBF)
Schengen acquis
The External Borders Fund24 is a solidarity fund intended to provide funding to Schengen countries with extensive land and coastal borders to help cover the costs of protecting the external borders of the Schengen area.25 The EBF should lead to more efficient border controls and hence more effective protection of the external borders, which should reduce illegal entry.
By the end of December 2010, Switzerland had received notification of 114 Schengen acquis from the EU. In 2010, 11 Schengen acquis fell under the remit of the Federal Office for Migration. All eleven were adopted by the Federal Council and in some cases resulted in changes to legislation.
A total of EUR 1.82 billion has been set aside for the EBF for a limited period (2007–2013). Switzerland has been contributing retroactively to this fund since 2009 and pays an annual amount of CHF 15 million. In exchange for this contribution, Switzerland receives CHF 3 to 5 million in return. Switzerland is able to use these funds, for instance, to fund projects at airports, Swiss consular offices or IT projects. In order to ensure the proper management of the funds coming from Brussels, Switzerland had to set up a management and control system.
Most of the Schengen acquis related to Schengen visas, particularly the Visa Code and technical requirements for a uniform visa format. At the same time, Switzerland received a Handbook for the Organisation of Visa Sections and Local Schengen Cooperation. As in 2009, EU member states agreed on further waiving of visa requirements in 2010. Under certain conditions, nationals of Taiwan, the Northern Mariana Islands, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina no longer require a visa.
Schengen associated countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) were required to sign an additional agreement outlining their participation rights and obligations. This additional agreement covers such things as financial contributions that Schengen associated countries must make to the EBF as well as the funds that they receive in exchange. The Swiss Parliament approved the legal basis for the External Borders Fund in its final vote on 1 October 2010.26 The 20 January 2011 deadline for a referendum expired unused. The three exchanges of notes on acceptance of the EBF were adopted on 9 February 2011, and the additional agreement came into effect on 1 April 2011.
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24
Decision No. 574/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 May 2007 establishing the External Borders Fund for the period 2007 to 2013 as part of the General programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows”, ABl. L 144 of 6 June 2007, pg. 22.
25
See Chapter C 4 Europe
26
BBl 2010 6617