The EU steps up support to border management on the Moldova-Ukraine border

The mandate of the European Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) has today been enhancedto allow the granting of executive powers to EUBAM, at the request of Moldova and/or Ukraine. This will enable EUBAM staff to directly participate in border control, and complement the border management teams of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). By doing so, the European Commission is making additional support available to Moldovan Border Guards. 

Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Olivér Várhelyi, said: “The European Union stands with Ukraine, and we are stepping up our support to help Moldova address the situation at its borders. EUBAM and Frontex will work together to help Moldova efficiently manage arrivals at its borders with Ukraine while maintaining a high level of security”.

Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, EUBAM has reoriented its actions to assist in managing the influx of refugees into Moldova, notably redeploying its staff to the border crossing points most under pressure.

The mission, with its new enhanced mandate, will complement the deployment of Frontex border management teams, and EUBAM and Frontex will closely cooperate in their tasks.

To help address the refugee inflows, scaled-up support for EUBAM worth €15 million will allow for the recruitment of additional staff, and provide equipment as well as training to newly-hired Moldovan border guards.

In addition, the EU has launched a new action worth €15 million to support effective and dignified first line processing and transit of affected Eastern Partnership citizens, as well as safe and dignified voluntary returns of vulnerable third country nationals to their countries of origin.

Further funds could be foreseen to increase direct support for border management on key border crossing points at the Moldova-Ukraine border.