| 20 November 2009 On 5 November 2009, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the EU/State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS)-developed Law “On Border Control,” which introduces European standards governing the principles, objectives and methods of border control, risk assessment, and organization of border crossing points into Ukrainian legislation. This act is an integral part of Ukraine’s effort to fulfill its international commitments for EU integration, namely through establishing clear norms and conditions for border crossing and border control procedures and practices defined in the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EC) No. 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006). Furthermore, the Law draws upon the European Commission recommendation of 06/XI/2006, which created a common “Practical Handbook for Border Guards” (Schengen Handbook) to guide Member States’ competent authorities in carrying out border control activities. The SBGS acknowledged the practicalities of the innovative handbook and recognized the added value of ushering in a common approach to border control in line with the Schengen Borders Code. The Law was drafted, revised and amended by the SBGS with the active assistance of legal experts of the Polish Border Guard under the EU/U.S. Department of State-funded, IOM-implemented projects “Reinforcing the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine’s Human Resources Management System (HUREMAS)” and “Improving Integrated Border Management: Follow-up to Reinforcing the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine’s Human Resources Management System (HUREMAS 2)”.
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