Meeting of the SG/HR for the CFSP, Javier SOLANA, with General Ference BANFI, Head of Mission of the EU BAM to Moldova and Ukraine in Brussels
The EU Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine was established in response to the joint letter from the Presidents of Moldova and Ukraine dating from 2 June 2005 calling for additional EU support for capacity building for border management, including customs, on the whole Moldova-Ukraine border, including the border between Ukraine and the separatist Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, because the Moldovan border authorities are unable to be present there.
On 7 October 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Border Assistance Mission was signed between the European Commission and the governments of Moldova and Ukraine. The official opening ceremony of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine took place on 30 November 2005.
The Mission is technical and advisory. Its mandate is to help improve the capacity of the Moldovan and Ukrainian border and customs services to prevent and detect smuggling, trafficking of goods and human beings, and customs fraud, by providing advice and training.
The Mission works very closely with the team of the EU Special Representative for Moldova Kálmán Mizsei, which has advisors in Kyiv, Chisinau and Odessa on political issues related to the border.
The EU Border Assistance Mission initially had a two year mandate, which has been extended up to November 2009.