Inspectors from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) will collaborate with the PSP and the GNR at air and maritime border posts during the first two years, as part of the restructuring of that security service.
The Council of Ministers approved today the creation of the Portuguese Agency for Minorities, Migrations and Asylum and the decree-law that will regulate the transitional regime for SEF workers.
At the end of the Council of Ministers meeting, the Minister of Internal Administration explained that, within the scope of this transition, a “functional allocation mechanism” will be created so that SEF inspectors, who will be integrated into the career of the Judiciary Police, can remain temporarily at air and sea border posts, which will be the responsibility of the PSP and GNR, respectively.
«For one year, we will have SEF employees supporting the PSP and GNR, transmitting knowledge to the security forces», explained José Luís Carneiro, adding that this period could be extended, but in the second year only 50% of the staff remains. .
«At the end of this transition, all of them join the Judiciary Police», he explained.
According to the minister, the measure is the result of negotiations with the trade union organizations that represent the inspectors in the SEF inspection and investigation career, in the scope of which the transition en bloc was ensured, as well as the equivalence of professional status.
On the part of the executive, there was also the concern to "ensure that there is respect for the location of the performance of functions of the professionals who have served in the SEF", added the official.
On the other hand, the restructuring of the SEF also foresees the creation of a Unit for the Coordination of Borders and Foreigners, within the scope of the Internal Security System, which «will start to reinforce capacities with regard to the sharing of information available from the different security services and border regulation».
The new unit will ensure a "greater ability to coordinate the efforts of security forces and services to guarantee the objective of regulated and secure borders".
The restructuring of the SEF was decided by the previous Government and approved by the Assembly of the Republic in November 2021, having already been postponed twice.
The remaining functions will pass to the new Portuguese Agency for Minorities, Migration and Asylum, which will also integrate the High Commission for Migration.
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