In a response sent to Lusa, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) states that the new National Unit for Foreigners and Borders, provided for in the proposed law on border control that must be approved by the Assembly of the Republic, will be integrated into the existing Organic Unit for Airport Security and Border Control, created in the PSP when the SEF was abolished on 29 October last year, and responsible for controlling the entry and exit of people into and out of the country by air and for security at airports.

The ministry overseen by Margarida Blasco also indicates that it is “still premature to advance” with the number of members that will make up this new unit since the PSP is “evaluating the size of the processes in terms of return and inspection, as well as the impact of the new European electronic border system (EES) on border operations”.

According to the MAI, the police officers who will be part of this unit “are already receiving specific training and will continue to do so” and, in addition to attending the borders course, they will also have access to “specialised training in several specific areas such as return, document fraud, risk analysis, inspection and escorts”.

“The PSP expects to recruit 600 police officers next year and this number will increase in the following years”, adds the MAI, noting that the Organic Law of the PSP will be amended to include this new unit.

Border control

The ministry specifies that the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders will assume “responsibilities in controlling air borders, inspecting and monitoring the stay and activity of foreigners in national territory, deciding on and executing return actions, managing temporary and similar installation spaces, and also airport and border security”.

The MAI rejects the idea of ​​creating “a mini SEF within the PSP”, considering that this new unit is part of the Government’s migration plan and intends “only to reinforce the PSP’s competencies in this area”.

“With the creation of this new unit, the Government intends to implement a humanist vision, and simultaneously guarantee secure borders and agile mechanisms for integrated border management, in accordance with the European model, thus ensuring a coherent system of regulated, humane immigration with effective monitoring”, also states the MAI.

According to the Government’s proposed law, approved in the Council of Ministers, the National Unit for Foreigners and Borders includes the areas of air border management, airport security, return and temporary installation, control and monitoring of the stay and activity of foreign citizens in national territory, in the area of ​​jurisdiction of the PSP, which are urban centres.

According to the proposed law, the PSP will also monitor the stay of foreign citizens in the country in the areas under its responsibility.

The discussion in the Assembly of the Republic of this proposed law, which also changes the return regime and regulates the new system of entry and exit of citizens outside the Schengen area, is scheduled for October 11.