In its mission to strengthen the cooperation and coordination between liaison officers deployed to third countries by member states, the Council adopted on 14 June a regulation to improve the functioning of the European network of immigration liaison officers. The new rules provide for a steering board at EU level to strengthen the management of the network and the coordination of immigration liaison officers and will give liaison officers a stronger role in combatting migrant smuggling, for instance by collecting information to assist third countries in preventing illegal migration flows and facilitating returns of illegally staying third country nationals. Finally, funds will be made available in support of activities of immigration liaison officers that will be allocated in agreement with the steering board.