CONNECTOR aims to support the European Integrated Border Management (EIBM) and the EU Customs Action Plan by emphasising the importance of collaborative efforts among Customs, Border and Coast Guard Authorities in managing borders, especially under current and future challenging circumstances. This objective can be achieved through Customs participation in the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) network and Enhanced Common Information Sharing Environment (e-CISE) via the proposed Customs Extended Common Information Sharing Environment (CE-CISE).

CONNECTOR proposes an integrated, common, and shared risk assessment approach for all Border Management Authorities. This approach considers pan-EU common risk indicators for each end user group, including Customs, Border and Coast Guards Authorities, as well as FRONTEX. Its aim is to safeguard the external EU border, protect EU citizens from cross-border crime, and ensure seamless travel. This proposal aligns with the recommendations from the multiannual strategic policy document. This system will foster close and practical cooperation, enabling efficient information exchange across all levels. To achieve this, the design and development process of the CONNECTOR system will depend on an assessment of ongoing policy initiatives at the EU level, including directives, staff documents and guidelines. The design will conform to Societal, Ethical and Legal (SoEL) specifications and regulations, in line with the SoEL-by-design principle. The CONNECTOR system shall undergo validation in an actual operational setting. Customs, Border and Coast Guards entities have jointly defined precise National, Cross-border, and Transnational scenarios to be tested during three extended trials (Demonstration and Testing) which will adhere to a standardised methodology.

CERTH is participating with two (2) complementary research groups: (i) MKLab and (ii) VCL. MKLab group is responsible for the management and supervision of the scientific and technical outcomes of CONNECTOR, as well as the development of digital twin features to deliver highly accurate predictions and increased performance for enhanced situational awareness. VCL group is responsible for the development of data fusion algorithms integrating diverse information from multiple sources, creating a cohesive and comprehensive view of the multimodal data.