The decree determining the extinction of the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) was promulgated by the President of the Republic on May 24, 2023. This process was triggered following the death of Ihor Homeniuk at Lisbon Airport in March 2020.
According to the Minister in charge, the extinction is expected to be effective (after several delays) in October, when all employees will be integrated into other forces.
Presently, the SEF has 900 inspectors and 700 non-police staff members.
As part of this process, a portion of the general and administrative career workers will be transferred to the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA), while another portion of inspection and oversight career employees will join the Judicial Police.
There will also be SEF inspectors who will continue to work at air, sea, and land borders under a transitional functional assignment until the transition is consolidated.
In the context of the SEF’s extinction, administrative functions will be transferred to AIMA and the Institute of Registration and Notary (IRN), while police powers will be exercised by the Public Security Police (PSP), the National Republican Guard (GNR), and the Judicial Police (PJ).
The GNR will be responsible for monitoring, supervising, and controlling maritime and land borders, including cruise terminals.
The PSP will assume the responsibilities of monitoring, supervising, and controlling airport borders, while the PJ will handle reserved competencies in investigating illegal immigration and human trafficking.
It is worth mentioning that SEF inspectors currently in higher categories may be assigned to the Tax and Customs Authority for a period of five years.