On 27 October, the European Commission proposed to further strengthen Frontex, turning it into the EU’s central actor for protecting external borders and organising returns across the Union.
Frontex already plays a critically important role in supporting Member States to manage Europe’s external borders. Under the new rules, its mandate will be further reinforced, enabling it to act faster and more effectively. Key novelties include: more resources and operational capacity, a Quick Reaction Force to intervene in crisis situations, and a new Online Monitoring Centre for the early detection of potential threats at the borders. Frontex will have a dedicated Return Coordination Centre and it will now be able to help carry out returns from third countries.
To operationalise the new EU rules on returns, the Commission has also proposed a Regulation to digitalise return, readmission and reintegration. This will simplify and accelerate the management of returns across the EU, reducing administrative burden.
These proposals are delivering on the commitments announced in the 2024-2029 political guidelines and reiterated by President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address this year, to reinforce Frontex, and especially to speed up returns. It is now for the European Parliament and the Council to agree on the proposals. The Commission will support co-legislators to advance on negotiations for both Regulations.
A new Frontex Regulation
The proposed rules will ensure that Frontex has the mandate and the right tools to support Member States at the external borders and help them to carry out returns effectively. The Regulation sets out three priorities:
- More resources and operational capacity: Frontex pools resources, expertise and operational capacity that no single Member State alone could provide. To ensure a consistent high standard of border control across the EU, the Commission proposes to:
- Gradually increase Frontex’s standing corps to 30 000 officers by doubling the amount of Frontex’s own standing corps officers and creating a new ‘European border and return reserve’ of 17 000 officers ready to be deployed when needed. This comes in addition to the already existing 7 000 officers seconded from Member States.
- Easier access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Frontex will be able to acquire, lease and co-own equipment and to carry out, coordinate or participate in joint procurement with Member States. Frontex will be able to act as a central purchasing body, also for digital and AI-enabled tools.
- Stronger on returns: Frontex will have a more proactive and strategic role to steer EU-wide return operations, maximising the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of its support, with:
- A dedicated Return Coordination Centre to collect and analyse operational information and support planning and coordination. Frontex’s support will cover the full spectrum of the return process, from early identification and voluntary return counselling to carrying out return operations and providing reintegration assistance.
- Capacity to support third countries on returns, both for technical and operational support. Frontex will be able to help organise and carry out return operations from one non-EU country to another, subject to the conclusion of an agreement with the country concerned, in compliance with fundamental rights and international standards.
- Effective crisis response: Frontex will be able to help detect dangerous trends early and to intervene quickly when there is an emergency or a crisis. This is a response to the lessons learned from this years’ crisis in Ceuta.
- A dedicated Online Monitoring and Response Centre, with the explicit mandate for Frontex to monitor publicly accessible social media content, detect developments relevant for external border management, and support action against illegal online content linked to border-security risks.
- A Quick Reaction Force to be deployed at very short notice to assist Member States to swiftly address any crisis and emergency at the external borders. The decision to deploy can be taken by the Frontex’s Executive Director following a request by a Member State facing an emergency situation.
- Improved information exchange in crisis situations, including with an obligation for Member States to report events with potential significant impact on EU borders within 24 hours in the dedicated EUROSUR network.
Digitalisation of returns
Alongside the Frontex Regulation proposal, and following the entry into force of the new Return Regulation on 16 October, the Commission is proposing a new Regulation to digitalise return, readmission and reintegration procedures across the EU. The aim is to modernise the handling of return cases, simplify and speed up administrative procedures through digitalisation, reduce administrative burden, and improve data collection and sharing.
The new rules will also strengthen Frontex’s role in developing a new EU digital architecture for the Member States, and support the new Return Regulation, complying with data protection standards and fundamental rights.
Background
The current Frontex Regulation entered into force in 2019. Since then, the role of Frontex has continuously grown, in view of the unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the migration weaponisation attempts at the EU’s external borders.
Effective European integrated border management and an efficient return policy are mutually reinforcing and central for the Schengen area. Frontex continuously engages in capacity-building, sharing intelligence and expertise with all Member States and with neighbouring non-EU countries affected by migratory trends and cross-border crime. Always in full respect of fundamental rights and human dignity, which are built into the Frontex mandate and operations.
For more information
Regulation amending the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation – Migration and Home Affairs
