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(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 377/2004 has been substantially amended. Since further amendments are to be made, that Regulation should be recast in the interests of clarity.

(2) The sharp increase of mixed migratory flows in 2015 and 2016 has put migration, asylum and border management systems under pressure. This has posed a challenge for the Union and Member States, showing the need to strengthen Union policy in the field of migration with a view to achieving a coordinated and effective European response.

(3) The objective of Union policy in the field of migration is to replace irregular and uncontrolled migratory flows with safe and well-managed pathways, through a comprehensive approach aimed at ensuring, at all stages, the efficient management of migration flows in accordance with Chapter 2 of Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

(4) Respect for human rights is a fundamental principle of the Union. The Union is committed to protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, regardless of their migratory status, in full compliance with international law. As such, measures taken by immigration liaison officers when implementing this Regulation, in particular in cases involving vulnerable people, should respect fundamental rights in accordance with relevant international and Union law, including Articles 2 and 6 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(5) To ensure the effective implementation of all aspects of Union policies on immigration, consistent dialogue and cooperation should be pursued with key third countries of origin and transit of migrants and of applicants for international protection. Such cooperation, in line with the comprehensive approach set out in the European Agenda on Migration, should provide for better management of immigration, including departures and returns, support capacity to gather and share information, including on applicants’ access to international protection and, where possible and relevant, on reintegration, and prevent and counter illegal immigration, smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings.

(6) Protection tools include measures contained in the Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM). Legal immigration strategies and channels between the Union and third countries should also include labour migration, visas for students and family reunification, without prejudice to the national competences of Member States.

(7) In light of the increasing demand for analysis and information to support evidence-based policy making and operational responses, there is a need for immigration liaison officers to ensure that their insight and knowledge contribute fully to the establishment of a comprehensive situational picture on third countries.

(8) Information on the composition of migratory flows should, where possible and relevant, include information on declared migrants’ age, gender profile and family and on unaccompanied minors.

(9) The deployment of the current European Migration Liaison Officers to the key third countries of origin and transit, as called for in the conclusions of the special meeting of the heads of state and government on 23 April 2015, was a first step towards enhancing the engagement with third countries on migration-related issues and stepping up cooperation with immigration liaison officers deployed by Member States. Building on this experience, longer-term deployments of immigration liaison officers by the Commission to third countries should be foreseen to support development, implementation and maximise the impact of Union action on migration.

(10) The objective of this Regulation is to ensure better coordination and optimise utilisation of the network of liaison officers deployed to third countries by the competent authorities of Member States, including, where appropriate, by law enforcement authorities, as well as by the Commission and Union agencies, in order to respond more effectively to the Union priorities of preventing and combating illegal immigration and related cross-border criminality such as smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings, facilitating dignified and effective return, readmission and reintegration activities, contributing to integrated management of the Union’s external borders, as well as supporting management of legal immigration, including in the area of international protection, resettlement and pre-departure integration measures undertaken by Member States and the Union. Such coordination should fully respect the existing chain of command and reporting lines between immigration liaison officers and their respective deploying authorities as well as among immigration liaison officers themselves.

(11) Building on Regulation (EC) No 377/2004, this Regulation aims to ensure that immigration liaison officers better contribute to the functioning of a European network of immigration liaison officers primarily by establishing a mechanism through which Member States, the Commission and Union agencies can more systematically coordinate the tasks and roles of their liaison officers deployed in third countries.

(12) Given that liaison officers dealing with migration-related issues are deployed by different competent authorities and that their mandates and tasks may overlap, efforts should be made to enhance cooperation among officers operating within the same third country or region. Where immigration liaison officers are deployed to the Union’s diplomatic missions in a third country by the Commission or Union agencies, they should facilitate and support the immigration liaison officers’ network in that third country. Where appropriate, such networks may be extended to liaison officers deployed by countries other than Member States.

(13) The establishment of a robust mechanism that ensures better coordination and cooperation among all liaison officers dealing with immigration issues as part of their duties is essential in order to minimise information gaps and duplication of work and maximise operational capabilities and effectiveness. A Steering Board should provide guidance in line with Union policy priorities, taking into account the Union’s external relations, and should be given the necessary powers, in particular to adopt biennial work programmes for the activities of networks of immigration liaison officers, agree on tailored ad hoc actions for immigration liaison officers addressing priorities and emerging needs not already covered by the biennial work programme, allocate resources for agreed activities and be accountable for their execution. Neither the tasks of the Steering Board nor those of the facilitators of immigration liaison officer networks should affect the competence of deploying authorities with regard to tasking their respective immigration liaison officers. When carrying out its tasks, the Steering Board should take into account the diversity of networks of immigration liaison officers as well as the views of the Member States most concerned as regards relations with particular third countries.

(14) A list of immigration liaison officers deployed to third countries should be established and updated regularly by the Steering Board. The list should include information related to the location, composition and activities of different networks, including the contact details and a summary of the duties of the deployed immigration liaison officers.

(15) Joint deployment of liaison officers should be promoted with the aim of enhancing operational cooperation and information sharing between Member States, as well as to respond to needs at Union level, as defined by the Steering Board. Joint deployment by at least two Member States should be supported by Union funds encouraging engagement and providing added value to all Member States.

(16) Special provision should be made for a wider Union capacity-building action for immigration liaison officers. Such capacity-building should comprise the development of common core curricula and pre-deployment training courses, including on fundamental rights, in cooperation with relevant Union agencies, and the reinforcement of the operational capacity of networks of immigration liaison officers. Such curricula should be non-compulsory and supplementary to national curricula established by deploying authorities.

(17) Networks of immigration liaison officers should avoid duplicating the work of Union agencies and other Union instruments or structures, including the work of local Schengen cooperation groups, and should bring added value to what they already achieve in terms of collecting and exchanging information in the area of immigration, in particular by focusing on operational aspects. Those networks should act as facilitators and providers of information from third countries to support Union agencies in their functions and tasks, in particular where Union agencies have not yet established cooperative relations with third countries. Closer cooperation between networks of immigration liaison officers and relevant Union agencies should be established to that effect. Immigration liaison officers should at all times be aware that their actions might have operational or reputational consequences for local and regional networks of immigration liaison officers. They should act accordingly when carrying out their tasks.