The European model of the integrated border management

The enlargement of the European Union has called for a reevaluation of the way the external borders to be protected as a necessary consequence of the free movement of people in the European Union. It also appears to be a result of a fundamental component of the area of freedom, security and justice. The abolition of the internal border checks and a different approach to external borders followed by emerging forms of cross-border crime with a cross-border dimension, illegal migration, trafficking in human beings and terrorist threats constantly being on the rise, have requested a different approach. The lack of economic perspective, poverty, environmental disasters and wars have forced people to look for a better life elsewehere, which has led to the most important global phenomenon of the 21st century- migration. Migration issues have made us think about the important matters faced by developed countries independantly, and as such they are currently at the top of the European Union’s political agenda. To respond effectively to emerging challenges and threats, the European Union has expedited the development of the integrated border management as a generally acceptable border management model, as well as a key factor in improving migration management. The paper is based on the information gathered from the open sources of the European Union institutions, as well as from personal experiences gained throughout the course of border management reform in Republic of Serbia.