27.5.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 141/13 REGULATION (EU) No 493/2011 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 April 2011 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 377/2004 on the creation of an immigration liaison officers network THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 79(2)(c) and Article 74 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (1), Whereas: Council Regulation (EC) No 377/2004 (3 lays down the obligation to establish forms of cooperation among immigration liaison officers of Member States, the objectives of such cooperation, the functions and appro- priate qualifications of such liaison officers, as well as their responsibilities vis-a-vis the host country and the posting Member State. Council Decision 2005/267/EC (°) established a secure web-based Information and Coordination Network for Member States’ Migration Management Services for the exchange of information on irregular migration, illegal entry and immigration and the return of illegal residents. Under that Decision the elements for information exchange are to include the network of immigration liaison officers. Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 (*) established a European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex). Frontex is tasked with preparing general and tailored risk analyses to be submitted to the Council and the Commission. (1) Position of the European Parliament of 14 December 2010 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 14 March 2011. () O] L 64, 2.3.2004, p. 1. () O] L 83, 1.4.2005, p. 48. (4 O] L 349, 25.11.2004, p. 1. ) Immigration liaison officers are to collect information concerning illegal immigration for use either at oper- ational level or at strategic level, or both. Such information could substantially contribute to the activities of Frontex relating to risk analysis, and closer cooperation  between different immigration liaison officers networks and Frontex should be established to that effect. All Member States should be able to initiate meetings, when considered appropriate, between the immigration liaison officers posted in a particular third country or region in order to enhance cooperation between them. Representatives of the Commission and Frontex should participate in those meetings. It should be possible to invite other bodies and authorities, such as the European Asylum Support Office and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Decision No 574/2007[EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (°) establishes for the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 the External Borders Fund as part of the General programme ‘Soli- darity and Management of Migration Flows’, in order to contribute to strengthening the area of freedom, security and justice and applying the principle of solidarity between the Member States. It should be possible to use the available resources of the External Borders Fund to enhance the activities organised by the consular and other services of Member States in third countries and to support the reinforcement of the operational capacity of different immigration liaison officers networks, thereby promoting a more effective cooperation via those networks, between the Member States. The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission should be informed regularly about the activities of immigration liaison officers networks in specific countries andfor regions of particular interest to the Union and about the situation in those countries andfor regions in matters relating to illegal immigration. The selection of the specific countries andfor regions of particular interest to the Union should be based on objective migratory indicators, such as statistics on illegal immigration, and risk analyses and other relevant information or reports prepared by Frontex and the European Asylum Support Office, and should take into consideration the overall Union external relations policy. () O] L 144, 6.6.2007, p. 22.