Commission provides over EUR 250 million of additional funding to reinforce border security and migration management

In November 2023, the European Commission selected a number of projects to reinforce migration management and security at the EU borders. In total EUR 259 million were made available as part of Member States’ national programmes.  

Under the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) call, the Commission will subsidise EUR 141 million worth of electronic surveillance systems at external land borders. With this funding, optical fibre and software to improve the exchange and processing of data between border posts and command centres will be installed in Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Lithuania, and Hungary. Furthermore, electronic surveillance equipment will be set up at border posts in Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania, and the deployment of mobile detection equipment will follow in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Greece.

Further funding actions have been identified for EU Member States in need of support, notably Romania, Poland, Estonia, Bulgaria, Spain and Lithuania. Depending on the availability of funding under the BMVI, the Commission will seek to provide this support. 

Under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) call, which aims to reinforce reception and asylum systems under pressure, the Commission will support unaccompanied minors and reception facilities at external borders with another EUR 118 million. Additional staff and training for guardians will be financed in Belgium, Cyprus, Slovakia and Spain, while family and community care as well as semi-autonomous lifestyles for adolescents will be funded in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain. Funding will also strengthen reception facilities at the borders, with the renovation of existing reception centres in Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, and the construction of new centres in Cyprus and Italy.  

This funding will be part of Member States’ programmes. Actions can start immediately and will be implemented by Member States’ agencies or civil society partner organisations, such as NGOs and the United Nations organisations.