The cooperation referred to in paragraph 1 shall take place within the framework of working arrangements concluded with the entities referred to in paragraph 1. Such arrangements shall be subject to the Commission's prior approval. The Agency shall inform the European Parliament and the Council of any such arrangements.

As regards the handling of classified information, the working arrangements referred to in paragraph 2 shall provide that the Union body, office or agency or international organisation concerned comply with security rules and standards equivalent to those applied by the Agency. An assessment visit shall be conducted prior to the conclusion of an arrangement and the Commission shall be informed of the outcome of the assessment visit.

Although outside the scope of this Regulation, the Agency shall also engage in cooperation with the Commission and, where relevant, with Member States and the EEAS in activities relating to the customs area, including risk management, where those activities support each other. That cooperation shall be without prejudice to the existing competence of the Commission, of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and of the Member States.

Union institutions, bodies, offices, agencies, and the international organisations referred to in paragraph 1, shall use information received from the Agency only within the limits of their competence and insofar as they respect fundamental rights, including data protection requirements.

Any transmission of personal data processed by the Agency to other Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies under points (c) and (d) of Article 87(1) shall be subject to specific working arrangements regarding the exchange of personal data.

The working arrangements referred to in the second subparagraph shall include a provision ensuring that personal data transmitted to Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies by the Agency may be processed for another purpose only if authorised by the Agency and if compatible with the initial purpose for which the data were collected and transmitted by the Agency. Those Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies shall keep written records of a case-by-case compatibility assessment.

Any transfer of personal data by the Agency to international organisations under point (c) of Article 87(1) shall be in accordance with the data protection provisions laid down in Section 2 of Chapter IV.

In particular, the Agency shall ensure that any working arrangement concluded with international organisations regarding the exchange of personal data under point (c) of Article 87(1) complies with Chapter V of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and is subject to the authorisation of the European Data Protection Supervisor, where provided for by that Regulation.

The Agency shall ensure that personal data transferred to international organisations are only processed for the purposes for which they were transferred.

The exchange of information between the Agency and Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, and international organisations referred to in paragraph 1, shall be conducted via the communication network referred to in Article 14 or via other accredited information exchange systems which fulfil the criteria of availability, confidentiality and integrity.

The precise forms of cooperation on coast guard functions between the Agency, EFCA and EMSA shall be determined in a working arrangement in accordance with their respective mandates and with the financial rules applicable to those agencies. Such an arrangement shall be approved by the management board of the Agency and the administrative boards of EFCA and EMSA. The Agency, EFCA and EMSA shall use information received in the context of their cooperation only within the limits of their legal framework and in compliance with fundamental rights, including data protection requirements.

The Commission shall, in close cooperation with the Member States, the Agency, EFCA and EMSA, make available a practical handbook on European cooperation on coast guard functions. That handbook shall contain guidelines, recommendations and best practices for the exchange of information. The Commission shall adopt the handbook in the form of a recommendation.

The Agency shall facilitate operational cooperation of the Member States with Ireland and the United Kingdom in specific activities.

For the purposes of EUROSUR, the exchange of information and cooperation with Ireland and the United Kingdom may take place on the basis of bilateral or multilateral agreements between Ireland or the United Kingdom respectively and one or several neighbouring Member States or through regional networks based on those agreements. The national coordination centres shall be the contact points for the exchange of information with the corresponding authorities of Ireland and the United Kingdom within EUROSUR.

Information provided in the context of EUROSUR by the Agency or by a Member State which is not party to an agreement as referred to in paragraph 2 shall not be shared with Ireland or the United Kingdom without the prior approval of the Agency or that Member State. The Member States and the Agency shall be bound by the refusal to share that information with Ireland or the United Kingdom.

The onward transmission or other communication of information exchanged under this Article to third countries or to third parties shall be prohibited.

The agreements referred to in paragraph 2 shall include provisions on the financial costs arising from the participation of Ireland or the United Kingdom in the implementation of those agreements.

Support to be provided by the Agency pursuant to points (n), (o) and (p) of Article 10(1) shall cover the organisation of return operations of Member States in which Ireland or the United Kingdom also participates.

The application of this Regulation to the borders of Gibraltar shall be suspended until the date on which an agreement is reached on the scope of the measures concerning the crossing by persons of the external borders.

The Member States and the Agency shall cooperate with third countries for the purpose of European integrated border management and migration policy in accordance with point (g) of Article 3(1).

On the basis of the policy priorities set out in accordance with Article 8(4), the Agency shall provide technical and operational assistance to third countries within the framework of the external action policy of the Union, including with regard to the protection of fundamental rights and personal data and with regard to the principle of non-refoulement.

The Agency and Member States shall comply with Union law, including norms and standards which form part of the Union acquis, including where cooperation with third countries takes place on the territory of those third countries.

The establishment of cooperation with third countries shall serve to promote European integrated border management standards.

Member States may cooperate at an operational level with one or more third countries in relation to the areas covered by this Regulation. Such cooperation may include the exchange of information and may take place on the basis of bilateral or multilateral agreements, other forms of arrangements, or through regional networks established on the basis of those agreements.

When concluding the bilateral and multilateral agreements referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, Member States may include provisions concerning the exchange of information and cooperation for the purposes of EUROSUR in accordance with Articles 75 and 89.

The bilateral and multilateral agreements and other forms of arrangements referred to in paragraph 1 shall comply with Union and international law on fundamental rights and on international protection, including the Charter, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1967 Protocol thereto, and in particular the principle of non-refoulement. When implementing such agreements and arrangements, Member States shall assess and take into account the general situation in the third country on a regular basis, and shall have regard to Article 8.

The Agency may cooperate, to the extent required for the fulfilment of its tasks, with the authorities of third countries competent in matters covered by this Regulation. The Agency shall comply with Union law, including norms and standards which form part of the Union acquis, including where cooperation with third countries takes place on the territory of those third countries.

When cooperating with the authorities of third countries, as referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Agency shall act within the framework of the external action policy of the Union, including with regard to the protection of fundamental rights and personal data, the principle of non-refoulement, the prohibition of arbitrary detention and the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, with the support of, and in coordination with, Union delegations and, where relevant, CSDP missions and operations in accordance with point (j) of the second subparagraph of Article 68(1).

In circumstances requiring the deployment of border management teams from the standing corps to a third country where the members of the teams will exercise executive powers, a status agreement drawn up on the basis of the model status agreement referred to in Article 76(1) shall be concluded by the Union with the third country concerned on the basis of Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The status agreement shall cover all aspects that are necessary for carrying out the actions. It shall set out, in particular, the scope of the operation, provisions on civil and criminal liability, the tasks and powers of the members of the teams, measures related to the establishment of an antenna office and practical measures related to the respect of fundamental rights. The status agreement shall ensure that fundamental rights are fully respected during those operations and shall provide for a complaints mechanism. The European Data Protection Supervisor shall be consulted on the provisions of the status agreement related to the transfer of data if those provisions differ substantially from the model status agreement.

Where available, the Agency shall also act within the framework of working arrangements concluded with the authorities of third countries referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article in accordance with Union law and policy, in accordance with Article 76(4).

The working arrangements referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall specify the scope, nature and purpose of the cooperation and shall be related to the management of operational cooperation. Such working arrangements may include provisions concerning the exchange of sensitive non-classified information and cooperation in the framework of EUROSUR in accordance with Article 74(3).

The Agency shall ensure that the third countries to which information is transferred only process that information for the purposes for which it was transferred. Any working arrangements on exchanging classified information shall be concluded in accordance with Article 76(4) of this Regulation. The Agency shall request prior authorisation from the European Data Protection Supervisor where those working arrangements provide for the transfer of personal data and where provided for by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.

The Agency shall contribute to the implementation of the Union external policy on return and readmission within the framework of the external action policy of the Union and regarding matters covered by this Regulation.

The Agency may receive Union funding in accordance with the provisions of the relevant instruments supporting third countries and activities relating to them. It may launch and finance technical assistance projects in third countries regarding matters covered by this Regulation and in accordance with the financial rules applicable to the Agency. Such projects shall be included in the single programming document referred to in Article 102.

The Agency shall inform the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of activities conducted pursuant to this Article and, in particular, of the activities related to technical and operational assistance in the field of border management and return in third countries, and the deployment of liaison officers, and shall provide them with detailed information on compliance with fundamental rights. The Agency shall make public the agreements, working arrangements, pilot projects and technical assistance projects with third countries in accordance with Article 114(2).

The Agency shall include an assessment of the cooperation with third countries in its annual reports.

The Agency may coordinate operational cooperation between Member States and third countries and provide technical and operational assistance to third countries in the context of European integrated border management.

The Agency may carry out actions related to European integrated border management on the territory of a third country subject to the agreement of that third country.

Operations on the territory of a third country shall be included in the annual work programme adopted by the management board in accordance with Article 102, and shall be carried out on the basis of an operational plan agreed between the Agency and the third country concerned and in consultation with the participating Member States. Where a Member State or Member States neighbour the third country or border the operational area of the third country, the operational plan and any amendments thereto shall be subject to the agreement of that Member State or those Member States. Articles 38, 43, 46, 47 and 54 to 57 shall apply mutatis mutandis to deployments in third countries.

The executive director shall ensure the security of the staff deployed in third countries.

For the purpose of the first subparagraph, Member States shall inform the executive director of any concern related to the security of their nationals should they be deployed on the territory of certain third countries.

Where the security of any staff member deployed in third countries cannot be guaranteed, the executive director shall take appropriate measures by suspending or terminating the corresponding aspects of the technical and operational assistance provided by the Agency to that third country.

Without prejudice to the deployment of the members of the standing corps in accordance with Articles 54 to 58, the participation of Member States in operations on the territory of third countries shall be voluntary.

In addition to the relevant mechanism referred to in Article 57(9) and paragraph 4 of this Article, where the security of its participating staff cannot be guaranteed to the satisfaction of the Member State, that Member State may opt out of its respective contribution to the operation in the third country in question. Where a Member State invokes such an exceptional situation, it shall provide comprehensive reasons and information on the situation to the Agency in writing, the content of which shall be included in the report referred to in Article 65. Such reasons and information shall be provided during the annual bilateral negotiations or no later than 21 days prior to the deployment. The deployment of staff seconded in accordance with Article 56 shall be subject to the consent of the home Member Sate communicated upon notification by the Agency and no later than 21 days prior to the deployment.

Operational plans as referred to in paragraph 3 may include provisions concerning the exchange of information and cooperation for the purpose of EUROSUR in accordance with Articles 75 and 89.

The national coordination centres and, where relevant, the Agency shall be the contact points for the exchange of information and cooperation with third countries for the purposes of EUROSUR.

Information provided in the context of EUROSUR by the Agency or by a Member State which is not party to an agreement as referred to in Article 72(1) shall not be shared with a third country under that agreement without the prior approval of the Agency or of that Member State. The Member States and the Agency shall be bound by the refusal to share that information with the third country concerned.

The Commission, after consulting the Member States, the Agency, FRA and the European Data Protection Supervisor, shall draw up a model status agreement for actions conducted on the territory of third countries.

The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Agency, shall draw up model provisions for the exchange of information in the framework of EUROSUR in accordance with Articles 70(2) and 72(2).

The Commission, after consulting the Agency and other relevant Union bodies, offices or agencies, including FRA and the European Data Protection Supervisor, shall draw up a model for the working arrangements referred to in Article 73(4). That model shall include provisions related to fundamental rights and data protection safeguards addressing practical measures.

Before a new bilateral or multilateral agreement as referred to in Article 72(1) is concluded, the Member States concerned shall notify the Commission of the draft provisions related to border management and return.

The Member States concerned shall notify the provisions of such existing and new bilateral and multilateral agreements related to border management and return to the Commission, which shall inform the Council and the Agency thereof.

Before the management board approves any working arrangements between the Agency and competent authorities of third countries, the Agency shall notify them to the Commission, which shall give its prior approval. Before any such working arrangement is concluded, the Agency shall provide the European Parliament with detailed information as regards the parties to the working arrangement and its envisaged content.

The Agency shall notify the operational plans referred to in Article 74(3) to the Commission. Any decision to deploy liaison officers to third countries in accordance with Article 77 shall be subject to receiving the prior opinion of the Commission. The European Parliament shall be kept fully informed of those activities without delay.

The Agency may deploy experts from its statutory staff and other experts as liaison officers, who should enjoy the highest possible protection when carrying out their duties in third countries. They shall form part of the local or regional cooperation networks of immigration liaison officers and security experts of the Union and of the Member States, including the network set up pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1240. By decision of the management board, the Agency may lay down the specific profiles of liaison officers, depending on the operational needs with regard to the third country concerned.

Within the framework of the external action policy of the Union, priority for the deployment of liaison officers shall be given to those third countries which, on the basis of a risk analysis, constitute a country of origin or transit regarding illegal immigration. The Agency may receive liaison officers posted by those third countries on a reciprocal basis. The management board shall, on the basis of a proposal from the executive director, adopt the list of priorities on a yearly basis. The deployment of liaison officers shall be approved by the management board following the opinion of the Commission.

The tasks of the Agency's liaison officers shall include establishing and maintaining contacts with the competent authorities of the third country to which they are assigned with a view to contributing to the prevention of and fight against illegal immigration and the return of returnees, including by providing technical assistance in the identification of third-country nationals and the acquisition of travel documents. Such tasks shall be carried out in compliance with Union law and shall respect fundamental rights. The Agency's liaison officers shall coordinate closely with Union delegations, with Member States in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1240 and, where relevant, with CSDP missions and operations as set out in point (j) of the second subparagraph of Article 68(1). Wherever possible, they shall have their offices in the same premises as the Union delegations.

In third countries where return liaison officers are not deployed by the Agency, the Agency may support a Member State in deploying a return liaison officer to provide support to the Member States, as well as to support the Agency's activities, in accordance with Article 48.

The Agency may, with the agreement of the Member States concerned, invite observers of Union institutions, bodies, offices, agencies or international organisations and CSDP missions and operations referred to in point (j) of the second subparagraph of Article 68(1) to participate in its activities, in particular in joint operations and pilot projects, risk analysis and training, to the extent that their presence is in accordance with the objectives of those activities, may contribute to the improvement of cooperation and the exchange of best practices, and does not affect the overall safety and security of those activities. The participation of such observers in risk analysis and training may take place only with the agreement of the Member States concerned. As regards joint operations and pilot projects, the participation of observers shall be subject to the agreement of the host Member State. Detailed rules on the participation of observers shall be included in the operational plan. Those observers shall receive appropriate training from the Agency prior to their participation.

The Agency may, with the agreement of the Member States concerned, invite observers from third countries to participate in its activities at the external borders, return operations, return interventions and training, as referred to in Article 62, to the extent that their presence is in accordance with the objectives of those activities, may contribute to improving cooperation and the exchange of best practices, and does not affect the overall safety of those activities or the safety of third-country nationals. Detailed rules on the participation of observers shall be included in the operational plan. Those observers shall receive appropriate training from the Agency prior to their participation. They shall be required to adhere to the codes of conduct of the Agency while participating in its activities.

The Agency shall ensure that the presence of observers does not pose any risk related to respect for fundamental rights.