Shengen CEO Garkov to EuroFora:States+Citizens' Synergy:EU Election to affect External Smart Borders

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU's Freedom of Movement, Security and Justice area, alias "Shengen"  Agency's Director, Krum Garkov, speaking to "EuroFora", launched a call for more "Synergy" between IT Technological aspects and Political Decisions due to be taken by the EU, which will be probably influenced by EU Parliament's forthcoming, May 2014 Elections, as he said f.ex. in relation with a project of establishing External EU "Smart Borders" particularly vis a vis Third Countries' nationals, while all border Crossings inside the Shengen area could reach about 800 Millions per year, during the forthcoming period, as he told us, (See Infra).
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Garkov, Executive Director of the European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of Freedom, Security and Justice when the 2nd Generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) started to be applied from the beginning of April 2013,   earlier replied to further "EuroFora"s questions during an exceptional meeting with Journalists for the official reception of Shengen Agency's brand new Headquarters, mainly located now at a prestigious building in downtown Strasbourg, (already familiar to High-Tech Communication infrastructures, also as former HQ of the Franco-German "ARTE" Radio-TV), in an area given Free of charge by the competent French Authorities, via a legal Agreement signed today with EU Commission at the Alsace/Lower Rhine Prefectoral palace, by its Secretary General  Christian Riguet, who stressed at "EuroFora" the growing importance of EU Integration vis a vis decisions which were taken in the Past in a more Inter-Governemental way.

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+ Garkov stressed from the outset, in Reply to earlier "EuroFora"s Questions during that Press Conference, on "the biggest Challenges lying ahead" for the Shengen system's foreseeable Future, that Shengen Agency's main purpose is not to simply manage a Technical system as such, but rather to find how to do with it what is required for the benefit of Member States and for the benefit of EU Citizens, considering their Needs, as he repeated twice.  For this purpose, Shengen Agency must be always in tune with EU's Political decisions and EU Citizens' needs, and, therefore, keep close  and frequent contacts with all stakeholders. Something which is important, f.ex., in the new Discussions which are just starting, on "Smart Borders", proposed by EU Commission for Foreigners on February 2013, etc.

- A Huge task, taken all in all, considering also the fact that, as Garkov observed, questioned by "EuroFora" on the effective Magnitude of EU Citizens' real use of Shengen system's possibilities to move freely among Membe Countries, "on 2011, there were about 400 Millions Borders' Crossings", and "that is expected to Double in the near Future", (i.e. to reach some 800 Millions) !..

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- Meanwhile, "it's too Early to speak of "Smart Borders" yet, because the decision is still in the hands of (EU) Politicians".  Afterwards "come the Legal Instruments, and, then, all the Technological  decisions", so "it's at a very early stage" now, since the overall process might take "I would say two years to begin, at least", he estimated.

+ "We shouldn't forget also that next year (2014) there are Elections for the European Parliament, which will influence one or another among the (Shengen's) European stakeholders", Garkov carefully observed.

- Certainly, Today, "it seems that there is an Agreement between Member States, already, a kind of Political Agreement that Smart Borders is something that needs to be developed....I think that  the Member States were very Clear about that".

- But, even "in that sense,  the arrangements, (after EU Parliament's Elections) next year (2014)  will influence the process of Negotiations, to the extend that they will probably be Slowed down", because there will be "a New Parliament, and it will take Time, new institutions, a New (EU) Commission, etc...

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"Synergy"
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At any case, - "as far as the (Shengen) Agency is concerned, I expect 2 things", Director Garkov told "EuroFora" in this regard :

- (A) "for the Agency to be involved in the process of Negotiations in order to advise from the position of its Expertise and Competences in the area oT Technologies", he pointed out.

- (B) "and then, once there is a common Agreement between Member States, when it's politically ready, the Agency will be responsible actually to deliver whatever is decided as necesssary", he added.

=>  Because, "in that sense, my expectation is that we should, all togeher, both the Agency and the Member States, take all the Learnings from the Past Projects, and not repeat already made Mistakes" :

- "F.ex., Technologies should Follow Political and Legal Decisions : In other words, we should not start developing a New System before Political Decisions have been actually in place". Otherwise, the contrary would be unwise and would for sure "make the project Longer, more Expensive and Difficult", he warned.

- "And, on the other hand, the Agency, as a specialized body responsible for Technology, should be used" adequately, because "it can be very useful Instrument in the process of development of "Smart Borders", f.ex. to advise on Capabilities of Technology able to support the Legal Instruments and Political Will", Garkov iindicated.

 => - "If we are able to create that Synergy, from the very Beginning, then, I'm pretty much Confident that, afterwards, the implementation" of the Political and Legal decisions due to be taken " will not be easy, but will be Easier, compared to other projects of the Past", he promissed, optimistically.

- In the Future, "Smart Borders" can make "much Faster and Easier processing of Borders' Crossings; especially for People of 3rd (Non-EU) Countries who travel frequently for established reasons, for them it would be much easier to walk through borders, instead of quewing, they will have a Fast-track. It doesn't not influence the Visa regime, but the way it will be Handled at the Borders" : They will be identified", as "Known People", with established purpose", and "that will make it easier for them f.ex. Students, People of the Business travelling frequently back and forth to Europe", he estimated.

+ In addition, "as a whole, it will (also) contribute to increase Security in Europe", Shengen Agency's Director added.

-  But, meanwhile, "there are not yet expectations" on concrete points, from the Agency's point of view, "at the moment, because we are not yet at the point to talk  about Technicalities",  since, "for the Time being, it's  the Political Discussions that are more in line", he reminded.

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"Feed-back" Travels
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+ In order to build such a "Synergy", "it's Important for me to be in Touch with Stakeholders, not only Representatives in the (Shengen Agency's) Board, but also Stakehonders at National level (i.e. on the spot), to understand better, how they proceed the system and services that we (Shengen Agency) provide,  what they think that we should do better, what else they (Member States) need".

- All "this is very Important for the Agency, because, as I said during the Press Conference, the Agency is not about Managing (IT) Systems. The Agency is abut managing the systems in favor of Member States and in favor of EU Citizens", Garkov reminded (comp. supra).

-  That's why "I often travel between Tallin, Brussels, Strasbourg, and other Capitals, etc. : F.ex. last week I was in Austria, the week before in Berlin, etc., and later I will be in Paris", etc. Indeed, "later-on, this year (2013) there is a meeting planned in Paris, with the French stakeolders, and, meanwhile, a meeting with stakeholders of Non-Member States", the Shengen Agency's Director revealed to "EuroFora".

- "This is Difficult, but Manageable", he concluded, smiling at an "EuroFora"s observation about the "big number of (EU) Borders' crossings" that he's obliged to do personally for such a demanding pan-European job...
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