The border control provided for by Articles 7 to 14 shall be carried out by border guards in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation and with national law.

When carrying out that border control, the powers to instigate criminal proceedings conferred on border guards by national law and falling outside the scope of this Regulation shall remain unaffected.

Member States shall ensure that the border guards are specialised and properly trained professionals, taking into account common core curricula for border guards established and developed by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States (‘the Agency’) established by Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004. Training curricula shall include specialised training for detecting and dealing with situations involving vulnerable persons, such as unaccompanied minors and victims of trafficking. Member States, with the support of the Agency, shall encourage border guards to learn the languages necessary for the carrying-out of their tasks.

Member States shall notify to the Commission the list of national services responsible for border control under their national law in accordance with Article 39.

To control borders effectively, each Member State shall ensure close and constant cooperation between its national services responsible for border control.

The Member States shall assist each other and shall maintain close and constant cooperation with a view to the effective implementation of border control, in accordance with Articles 7 to 16. They shall exchange all relevant information.

Operational cooperation between Member States in the field of management of external borders shall be coordinated by the Agency.

Without prejudice to the competences of the Agency, Member States may continue operational cooperation with other Member States and/or third countries at external borders, including the exchange of liaison officers, where such cooperation complements the action of the Agency.

Member States shall refrain from any activity which could jeopardise the functioning of the Agency or the attainment of its objectives.

Member States shall report to the Agency on the operational cooperation referred to in the first subparagraph.

Member States shall provide for training on the rules for border control and on fundamental rights. In that regard, account shall be taken of the common training standards as established and further developed by the Agency.

Member States which do not apply Article 22 at their common land borders may, up to the date of application of that Article, jointly control those common borders, in which case a person may be stopped only once for the purpose of carrying out entry and exit checks, without prejudice to the individual responsibility of Member States arising from Articles 7 to 14.

To that end, Member States may conclude bilateral arrangements between themselves.

Member States shall inform the Commission of any arrangements concluded in accordance with paragraph 1.