Brussels, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The debate launched by the European Commission Communication on the integrated management of the Union's external borders (see EUROPE of 6/7 May, p.9) will be supplemented by a feasibility study to be unveiled by Italy in Rome on 30 May at a ministerial conference to be attended by Commissioner Antonio Vitorino. The conference will consider one of the aspects of the Communication - the setting up of a European border guard corps (other issues covered by the Commination are visa policy, co-ordination of police and customs officers and equipment, like the Galileo system). The ministers in Rome will also discuss the pilot group of EU representatives that will monitor the training of border guards by a college of police, technical assistance to third countries (current and future EU candidate countries) through the Phare programme in particular and possible one off interventions where necessary. The key element on the negotiating table in Rome will be the cost of the European border guard corps and what will emerge from the discussions is whether Member States are prepared to support this financial burden. Some countries (Finland for example) are challenging the idea for the moment since they do not want to fund other countries' border guards.