FRONTEX

The Common Integrated Risk Analysis Model (CIRAM) was developed by a European Council Expert Group in 2002. The implementation of CIRAM in the Member States (MS)* was the responsibility of the former Common Unit. A Risk Analysis Centre (RAC) was set up in Helsinki in 2003 to compile the joint risk assessment on the European level.

Following the establishment of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex), the task of compiling joint risk assessments was transferred from the RAC to Frontex.  Within Frontex an update of CIRAM was produced in 2007, consisting of two documents: general and specialist. While the general document is meant to provide the basic information on the methodological tool and, hence, oriented for external users, the specialist document is targeting analysts working in the field of Border Security Risk Analysis Units in the Member States.

The CIRAM is a living document and it is updated constantly; the main purposes of this are to aligning it to Frontex tasks (which ultimately set the requirements for risk analysis) and to make it a practical working tool for risk analysis purposes within Frontex. As the agency is new (and analytical function in Member States’ border guards agencies as well), the requirements are still taking shape. The current CIRAM simply sets the basic principles for risk analysis, but does not elaborate more sophisticated methodologies such as indicators to be used when assessing vulnerabilities in border controls at EU and Member State level or how to assess future developments  (which technique to use; scenarios or simulation for instance). Basic principles include among others intelligence cycle and exploitation of multiple sources of information (all-sources assessment).

The work to develop the CIRAM will continue in the second half of 2008 and in 2009. The idea is to establish a transparent and clear methodology for Frontex risk analysis and to set the standards (benchmark) for Member States’ analytical activities to create preconditions for efficient information exchange and cooperation in the field of border security.

Member States have implemented the current CIRAM in different ways. Further development of CIRAM will take stock of this and involve interested Member States in the process.

The updated CIRAM will be rolled out also to Member States border guards firstly by introducing a glossary and possibly analytical guidelines for common terminology and methodology. After this analytical training will be provided. Depending on the development of Frontex Information Systems, the CIRAM is likely to incorporate various analytical tools which will be offered to Member States in the following years.