EU, Albania Sign Agreement On Cross-Border Cooperation To Deal With Migration - Statement

The European Union signed on Friday an agreement with Albania on border cooperation to tackle migration and cross-border crime, the European Commission said in a statement.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2018) The European Union signed on Friday an agreement with Albania on border cooperation to tackle migration and cross-border crime, the European Commission said in a statement.

"On 5 October 2018, the European Union signed an agreement with Albania on cooperation on border management between Albania and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)," the statement read.

The deal was signed by Austrian Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs, and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, and Albanian Interior Minister Fatmir Xhafaj. The status deal is the first one concluded by the bloc with a third-party country, according to the statement.

"This agreement allows the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to coordinate operational cooperation between EU member states and Albania on the management of the EU's external borders. The European Border and Coast Guard will be able to take action at the external border involving one or more neighbouring member states and Albania. This can include intervention on Albanian territory, subject to Albania's agreement," the statement added.

The actions under the agreement are aimed at fighting irregular migration and cross-border crime, according to the European Commission.

Similar draft status deals have been initialed with Macedonia and Serbia, and talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina are underway.