Beyond walls and fences: EU funding used for a complex and digitalised border surveillance system Executive Summary This study provides a critical analysis of the use of In line with the Common Provisions Regulation EU resources available under the Border Manage- (CPR), which permits the transfer of resources from ment and Visa Instrument (BMVI) for EU Member one fund to another, the study found that Greece States. The analysis covers the 24 national pro- received an additional 620 million euros from other grammes that are publicly available - it excludes CPR funding instruments. As a result, Greece is the programmes from Latvia and Germany, which country receiving the largest amount of resources were not publicly available, and Ireland, which in absolute terms, more than 1 billion euros, consti- does not participate in the Instrument. It estab- tuting around one quarter of the total EU resources lishes facts and figures on the use of the BMVI available for national programmes under the BMVI for border management activities by the Member for 2021 – 2027. States and provides an assessment of the effectiveness of the fund, including by highlighting More EU resources available to Member States potential areas of misuse of EU funds. It also compared to the previous Multiannual Financial examines monitoring and evaluation mechanisms Framework (MFF). The study also finds that and explores existing safeguards, particularly in resources available to Member States for border relation to upholding fundamental rights in EU management have increased by 45% compared funded activities at the border. to the previous MFF (for 2014 to 2020). A substantial budgetary increase was registered in five countries: Germany (+ 103%), Greece (+ 171%), Chapter 1 Latvia (+ 196%), Slovenia (+ 141%) and Sweden The first chapter provides an overview of available (+ 100%). However, allocations to other countries BMVI resources and a breakdown of the different at the external border of the EU, like Cyprus and categories of spending and funding modalities. Malta, were reduced by 14% and 56% respectively. It also analyses the trends in resource allocation across Member States, including comparisons with Member States mainly prioritise actions where the previous Multiannual Financial Framework the standard EU financing rate (75%) applies. (MFF). Of the actions that can be supported under the BMVI, the study reveals that Member States Key findings include: primarily allocate funding to activities for which Trend of increasing resources for border man- 75% of the costs can be covered by EU funds (with agement throughout the period 2021 – 2027. In the Member State’s own matching contribution at 2023, following a mid-term revision, the European 25%). Activities where this funding rate applies Commission increased the budget available for account for 56% of the national programme. The the BMVI by 1 billion euros (an increase of 16% priorities considered most important are included compared to the original allocation). The approval in Annex IV of the BMVI Regulation and can be of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum is also financed up to 90 % by the Union budget. These likely to increase the funding available to the BMVI actions represent 4% of the national programmes. and AMIF (Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund) Measures in this category include the purchase of by 600 million euros per year, starting from 2027. operating equipment for Frontex, the deployment 5