Norway to join the European Border Control Agency

The Government submitted a Proposition to the Storting today requesting its consent to accept the EU Regulation on the establishment of a Border Control Agency under the Schengen Agreement. At the same time the Government requested the Storting to approve an agreement regarding Norway and Iceland’s participation in the Agency.

It is the responsibility of the individual member state to control its part of the external border of the Schengen area. However, experience has shown that there is a need to strengthen and improve co-ordination of the member states’ control of their external border. The main task of the Agency is to put the member states in a better position to carry out this responsibility.

Under the agreement a Norwegian representative will have a seat on the Management Board of the Agency. The agreement will enable Norway to participate more actively in efforts to ensure an effective and sound border control in the Schengen area. This will include efforts to deter illegal immigration in Southern and Central Europe, which also has repercussions for Norway.

This is the first time that Norway will have the right – although limited – to vote in an EU agency.