Schengen Implementation, Justice and Home
Affairs
Photo:EPA Photo/ Vassil Donev
In
the period up to 2009, Norway will contribute EUR 1.134 billion to the
Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the EEA Financial Mechanism. The Norwegian
Financial Mechanism is open to Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, while the EEA
Financial Mechanism is open to the same countries as well as Greece, Portugal
and Spain.
The
Norwegian Financial Mechanism will make funding available for projects related
to the implementation of the Schengen acquis and wider co-operation within the
field of justice and home affairs. Implementation of the Schengen acquis and
strengthening of the judiciary have been specified as focus areas in most of
the Memoranda of Understanding between Norway and the new EEA members.
Information about the agreement and the financial mechanisms in general is
available at the following websites: www.europaportalen.no
(Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and www.eeagrants.org (Financial
Mechanism Office).
An
important objective in the MoU is that the Norwegian Financial Mechanism should
strengthen Norway’s
bilateral relations with the beneficiary states and increase co-operation on
common challenges. This co-operation should build on EEA/EU legislation and on
the priorities of the countries covered by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
Schengen
implementation and justice and home affairs cover a wide range of topics. The
following Norwegian institutions can provide information and advice on
co-operation projects and partnerships within the areas of:
The
contact points on the right will be pleased to discuss possible co-operation
projects. They can also assist you in finding suitable partners and provide
examples of projects, both in the areas highlighted above and in other areas in
line with the Memoranda of
Understanding signed by the beneficiary states.
Contact
your local Norwegian Embassy if
you need further assistance.
Why a Norwegian
Partner?
Norway
has been part of the operational Schengen co-operation since 2001. Over the
past four years we have gained useful experience on the preparation and
implementation of the Schengen acquis. We have also experienced the benefits
from co-operating with other countries in the implementation, in particular
when joining the Schengen co-operation together with the other Nordic countries
in 2001. Norwegian institutions in this field can offer expertise that may be
useful to the new EU members in their Schengen preparations.
The
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development
The
Department of Migration of the
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has the overall
responsibility for developing and co-ordinating Norwegian refugee and
immigration policies and legislation.
Immigration policy and legislation
The
Department of Migration is responsible for immigration policy and legislation
(including the Immigration Act and the Norwegian Nationality Act) governing the
entry into and exit from Norway, as well as questions concerning illegal
immigration and human smuggling, visa policy and border control. It has the
overall responsibility for advising the police and the foreign service on
immigration matters.
Refugees and asylum seekers
The
Department of Migration is responsible for refugee policy in general, including
legislation concerning the protection of refugees and the reception of asylum
seekers, the participation in the Dublin and Eurodac co-operation and for
facilitating the return of rejected asylum seekers to their country of origin.
In addition, the department is responsible for filling Norway’s annual quota of
resettlement refugees in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR).
Schengen co-operation
The
Department of Migration deals with questions concerning Norway’s participation
in the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis. It
also deals with questions concerning the freedom of movement in the European
Economic Area.
The
Department of Migration can offer assistance in the form of advice and
capacity-building within its area of responsibility.
The Directorate of Immigration
The
Directorate of Immigration is responsible for the implementation of the refugee
and immigration policies.
The
directorate is responsible for the processing of applications for visas, work
and residence permits and citizenship. It is also responsible for processing
applications for asylum, the reception system for asylum seekers and
co-operation with local authorities in matters concerning the settlement of
refugees. A third area of responsibility involves the administration of the
repatriation programme for refugees who wish to return to their countries of
origin and the return of rejected asylum seekers.
The
Directorate of Immigration can offer assistance on the processing of different
types of cases, technical assistance with regard to reception facilities, and
advice on IT systems such as the Visa Information System (VIS).
The
Ministry of Justice and the Police
The
Department of Correctional Services of the Ministry of Justice and the Police
has the overall responsibility for Norwegian policy concerning the correctional
services.
In
the mid-1990s the Council of Europe invited several Western countries to set up
partnerships with prisons and prison authorities in former Eastern European
countries and former Soviet Union. This resulted in close co-operation between
the Norwegian Correctional Services and partners in Russia and Latvia.
Due
to the poor condition in the prisons, the partnership initially focused on
practical assistance. However, the co-operation has gradually been expanded.
Central issues have been staff training and the regimes and standards applied
at the pre-trial detention centres. The Norwegian Ministries of Health and Care
Services and of Education and Research have contributed to improving prison
health services and to securing the inmates access to education and job
training.
Norway
began co-operating with the Latvian prison authorities in 1996. The
co-operation with Russia started two years later. These international
partnerships have given the Norwegian Correctional Services valuable experience
and a broader professional perspective. The new financial mechanisms provide
opportunities for sharing this experience with new and old partners.
The National Police Directorate
The
National Police Directorate is responsible for the day-to-day management of all
activities related to the EEA Financial Mechanisms in the following fields:
SIRENE office/Schengen Information System
(SIS)
The
National Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS) is the national contact point
for SIS matters. The NCIS is a central agency that provides expert assistance
to the Norwegian police districts. It has three core functions: technical
investigation services, tactical investigation services and international
police co-operation. The NCIS, which established the Norwegian SIRENE office
and is now responsible for running it, offers advice and assistance to
countries that are in the process of establishing such a service.
N-SIS/SIS II
The
National Police Computing and Material Service is responsible for all
information and computer technology within the police service. It administers
N-SIS, and is involved in the development of SIS II. Partnerships/co-operation
in this field may be beneficial to all parties.
Border Control
As
the police service in Norway is a single, unified service, border control is
the responsibility of the police districts. The overall responsibility lies
with the National Police Directorate, which takes care of education/training,
infrastructure at border crossing points, compensatory measures in border areas,
etc. Due to its competence and experience in this field, the Norwegian police
can be a useful adviser or partner in co-operation projects.
Training/education in connection with
Schengen implementation
The
Norwegian Police Academy is responsible for all police education and training.
In co-operation with the National Schengen Implementation Working Group, the
Police Academy conducted a successful training programme for the entire
Norwegian police service before the implementation of the Schengen co-operation
in March 2001. The lessons learned as regards content, management and timing
may be of interest to other countries in their Schengen preparations.
Organised crime
The
overall responsibility for combating organised crime lies with the National
Police Directorate. Major issues are drug trafficking, trafficking in human
beings and illegal immigration/smuggling of people. The directorate will
co-ordinate co-operation projects in this area.
Economic crime
The
Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and
Environmental Crime (Økokrim) is both a special police agency and a prosecution
authority. Økokrim has national jurisdiction and investigates and brings to trial
major, complex and serious cases and/or cases concerning matters of principle
involving economic and environmental crime. Økokrim may participate to some
extent in co-operation projects, but their expertise may also be employed in
the assessment of project applications.
