September 21 (SeeNews) - The government of EU candidate Serbia said it has signed an agreement with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) to join forces in increasing the security of the EU’s external borders.
The cooperation agreement will allow Frontex to conduct border checks together with Serbian police officers without assuming tasks or responsibilities from local authorities, the European commissioner for migration and home affairs, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said on Thursday, according to a statement issued by the Serbian government.
All activities under the agreement are part of the overall process of the Western Balkans' approach to the impementation and management of border security, Avramopoulos said.
"Serbia is a stable factor in the region and can take a leading role in the EU integration process," Avramopoulos added.
The cooperation agreement is subject to ratification by the Serbian parliament.
The EU opened accession negotiations with Serbia in January 2014. The country has opened 14 chapters in the accessions process thus far, two of which have been provisionally closed.