The Mixed Committee reviewed progress in relation with the proposed Regulation establishing Rapid Border Intervention Teams. The Presidency urged delegations to work towards early agreement on the proposal with a view to reaching an agreement with the European Parliament under the co-decision procedure in April 2007.
Under the proposed Regulation, Member States may request Frontex to establish a rapid border intervention team. The team consisting of border guards of the Member States who can provide rapid operational assistance, for a limited period of time, where a requesting Member State is facing a situation of urgent and exceptional pressure. The Regulation will establish a mechanism for this purpose and will define the powers of and tasks to be performed by border guards of the Member States participating in joint operations and pilot projects.
The Mixed Committee also reviewed progress with the establishment by Frontex of a centralised register of technical equipment (the so-called "toolbox") offered by Member States and which could be put at the disposal of another Member State and welcomed the progress already made in this regard. Member States which had yet to do so were encouraged to actively contribute to the “toolbox”.