The Operational Programme Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (OP NSHV) is the basic strategic document for drawing financial support from the Integrated Border Management Fund for the period 2021 - 2027. The NSHV is a new instrument and successor to the Internal Security Fund (Borders part), which was implemented in the period 2014 - 2020 and from which it was separated. The NSHV Regulation sets out two specific objectives to which support can be directed. In short, these are the following areas:
- Support for European Integrated Border Management;
- Support for the common visa policy.
The Czech Republic can draw funds from the OP NSHV up to EUR 30,219,607, i.e. approximately CZK 780 million (at an exchange rate of CZK 26/EUR).
When implementing the OP NSHV, the Czech Republic intends to focus primarily on investments in large-scale IT systems in the field of home affairs. As a result of migration pressures on the EU, the use of modern technologies is a crucial component of maintaining a high level of internal security in the Union despite the open internal borders of the Schengen area. The OP NSHV follows up on activities from the 2014-2020 programming period, in which key projects were implemented to build national units of the Entry/Exit System (EES), the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), and the update of the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Visa Information System (VIS). In this area, the aim is to further develop these information systems in terms of their functionalities, ensure hardware replacement to match current trends, and ensure their operational support in a 24/7 mode, including mutual interoperability. Since these are transnational systems, an outage in one Member State may jeopardize the functionality of the entire solution at the EU level. These areas therefore account for the largest share of allocated funds. However, purely national information systems in this area will also be developed, e.g. A system for processing applications for short-term visas will be built using funds from the OP NSHV.
Another area of support is the purchase of equipment used for border control at the external border of the Schengen area. In the context of the Czech Republic, this is an international airport. Activities to replace technology and possibly expand biometric automation with new functionalities for border control (the so-called e-GATE self-service gate system) or replace special technologies and purchase new equipment for detecting forged documents will be supported.
An important area of support is also diplomatic missions abroad (outside the EU). The OP NSHV plans investments in equipping selected diplomatic missions with new security features (e.g. security frames) as well as activities to increase client comfort (reconstruction, modernization of waiting rooms, creation of a client-friendly environment). At the same time, evaluation trips of expert teams to diplomatic missions to verify the practical application of visa regulations and the sending of visa experts and trainers of consular staff for internships at diplomatic missions abroad will be covered.
Last but not least, the OP NSHV will also focus on soft projects that will increase the quality of services provided to the public. This includes ensuring ongoing education and training of members of the security forces in the field of communication in foreign languages, especially with a focus on foreign issues, or conducting training for embassy staff in the areas of the common visa policy and aspects of issuing short-term visas, including detecting forged documents.
Expected recipients: central state administration bodies, organizational units of the state (especially security forces).
The OP NSHV was approved by the European Commission on 27 October 2022.