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Fighting intellectual property crimes is a key priority on the international agenda. Illegal trade of counterfeit products represents 2.5-3% of global trade, amounting to more than 330 billion Euro per year. Infringements of intellectual property rights reduce the revenues of the affected businesses and affect government revenue. Moreover, some counterfeit goods, such as pharmaceuticals, are produced without regard to prescribed health and safety standards and may therefore harm consumers.  

As an initial step in the process of conducting a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) for the different agencies operating under the Palestinian General Administration for Border and Crossings (GABC), EUBAM Rafah has piloted a full day session with the top-management of GABC.

Ethics Policies set the values that outline the ground rules for staff members with respect to standards of conduct. In the process of establishing a transparent and accountable public administrations in Palestine, developing sound Ethics Policies within Border Authorities is fundamental in ensuring professional ethical conduct by Border Management Staff. 

On 12 and 13 March 2018, EUBAM Rafah facilitated a workshop aimed at discussing benefits, issues and challenges linked to the implementation of Ethics Policies, with particular attention to border related activities.

On 19 March 2018, Dr. Saeb Erekat, the Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee, received the Head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission in Rafah, Guenther Freisleben, at his office in the Negotiations Affairs Department in Jericho.

The meeting took place in the context of the Mission’s contribution to the liaison between the Palestinian, Israeli and Egyptian authorities in aspects related to border management.

On 8 March 2018, H.E. Hazem Khairat, Ambassador of Egypt to Israel welcomed the Head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission in Rafah, Guenther Freisleben to an introductory meeting at his residence in Tel Aviv. 

Mr. Freisleben outlined the fundamental role of the Mission in monitoring and mentoring and briefed the Ambassador on the activities currently conducted by the Mission to build a robust border management capacity within the group of Palestinian Authority border officials. 

Guenther Freisleben, the Head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah visited Rafah Crossing Point (RCP) on 12 February 2018 for the first time since assuming his duties in December. During the visit, the Head of Mission met with PA officials and toured the border terminal.

EUBAM Rafah is mandated to provide a third party presence at the RCP between Gaza Strip and Egypt  and to liaise between the Palestinian, Israeli, and Egyptian Authorities in all aspects related to the management of the Rafah Crossing Point.

Last month, the EU Civilian Operations Commander (CivOpsCdr) for all EU’s civilian Common Security Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions and Director of the EU Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability met with Guenther Freisleben, Head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Rafah. The occasion was the presentation of the Mission’s 6-Monthly Report to Political and Security Committee and the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management in Brussels.

The Head of the Egyptian Representative Office to the Palestinian Authority, Ambassador Essam Ashour welcomed Guenther Freisleben, Head of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Rafah, at his office in Ramallah.

To enable an enhanced effort in combatting counterfeiting, 19 officers from different Palestinian border agencies, operating under the umbrella of the General Administration for Border and Crossings (GABC), attended a 4-day training earlier this month.

The training session was organized by EUBAM Rafah in collaboration with the ‘Technical Assistance and Information Exchange’ program (TAIEX). It aimed at providing theoretical and practical knowledge on multi-agency cooperation in the fight against transit and carriage of counterfeited products.

On January 22nd - 24th 2018, EUBAM Rafah mission organized a 3-days training in collaboration with TAIEX - Technical Assistance and Information Exchange program.

19 participants from different border agencies attended the activities, which took place at the GABC training center at Al Karama terminal, in Jericho.

The training, held by 2 TAIEX experts from France and Latvia and by EUBAM Rafah staff, was aimed at introducing the main concepts concerning strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation applied to a public administrations.