Estonia Shares EU IBM Practices with Ukrainian Counterparts
June 11, 2025
What does it take to run a secure, efficient, and modern border? To Ukrainian border and customs agencies, Estonia can offer more than theory. It can share successful real-life examples.
As Ukraine moves forward on the path to EU integration, aligning with the EU’s Integrated Border Management (EIBM) strategy is more than a policy ambition. It’s a necessity. Secure, efficient, and well-coordinated border control is key. Drafting strategies is only the first step. The real challenge is turning those words into daily practice.
To support this effort, EUAM’s Lviv Field Office brought a delegation of officers from the State Border Guard Service and State Customs Service to Estonia from 19 to 23 May. The main focus of the visit was to observe how the IBM concept is implemented at the regional level, directly at border crossing points (BCP). Ukrainian officials came to see how Estonia applies border checks and customs control procedures in real-life BCP operations.
Estonia is a country that shares much with Ukraine – a post-Soviet legacy, a long border with Russia, and a deep commitment to European integration. Since joining the EU in 2004, Estonia has built a strong, well-connected border system based on the EIBM approach.
During the visit, the Ukrainian delegation observed how Estonian authorities manage daily operations at some of the country’s busiest border points, including Tallinn, Luhamaa, Koidula BCPs, and border guard stations Narva and Piusa. They visited the headquarters of both the Police and the Border Guard Board and the Tax and Customs Board. Throughout, there was a clear emphasis on how Estonia has achieved interoperability between customs and border guard units – an essential component of the EIBM concept.
“The Estonian experience clearly demonstrates how a country that regained its independence just over 30 years ago can effectively secure the Schengen/EU external borders through thoughtful and systematic integration of modern management models, a professional and well-trained workforce, and innovative technologies,” said Aimar Koss, EUAM’s Senior Border/IBM Adviser and a former commander of Estonia’s North-East Border Region. “This includes everything from digitalisation and automation to future-oriented infrastructure and procedural solutions at border crossing points, and the development and use of comprehensive information systems for law enforcement agencies at national, regional, and local levels.”
The Ukrainian participants were quick to spot practical tools that could help back home. “We were impressed with the resource planning and information-sharing system used by the Estonian Police and Border Guards in their daily operations. This tool allows for the allocation of tasks and efficiently tracks and utilises resources in real time,” one official noted.
The next step? The delegation will now summarise what they’ve learned, identifying which practices can be transferred into Ukraine’s system. Their recommendations will support Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to modernise its borders, improve cooperation between agencies, and meet the standards expected of an EU candidate state.
