A delegation from Frontex, headed by its Executive Director, Mr. Ilkka Laitinen, will visit Armenia from February 21 to 23.

The Delegation is going to meet President Serzh Sargsyan and Secretary of the National Security Council, Arthur Baghdasaryan.

Besides, a cooperation agreement will be signed between Frontex and the Armenian government.

Frontex is an EU agency based in Warsaw, which was created as a specialized and independent body tasked to coordinate the operational cooperation between Member States in the field of border security. The activities of Frontex are intelligence driven. Frontex complements and provides particular added value to the national border management systems of the Member States.

The activities of Frontex are based on the EU policy for integrated border management. The Integrated Border Security Model is a system covering all aspects of border policy.

The system is spread over four complementary tiers which include operational measures in and with third countries; operational border security cooperation with neighboring third countries; border checks and border surveillance at the external borders and border security related measures within the Member States.

One of the key elements of the EU strategy to secure external borders was the creation of the body, i.e. Frontex that can coordinate and enhance border security by ensuring the coordination of Member States' actions in the implementation of Community measures relating to the management of the external borders. However, responsibility for the control of external borders of the Member States of the European Union still lies with the Member States.