Commission proposes to reinforce Frontex: stronger border protection, a greater role on returns and more effective crisis response

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

oday, the European Commission is proposing to further strengthen Frontex, reinforcing its capacity to protect the external borders and turning it into the EU’s central actor for returns.

The EU has made significant progress on migration: illegal border crossings have more than halved over the past two years, and the return rate increased to now over 30 percent. Yet, our common external borders are put to the test by a changed geopolitical and security environment, requiring a stronger and more effective European response.

Frontex already plays a critical role in supporting Member States in managing Europe’s external borders and safeguarding the Schengen area. The new rules will build on this role, by further strengthening the Agency’s mandate, enabling it to act more quickly and effectively – and making it easier for Member States to make full use of its tools and services. Key novelties include: a reinforced Standing Corps, including a new European Border and Return Reserve, a Quick Reaction Force to intervene in crisis situations, and a new Online Monitoring Centre for the early detection of potential threats to our borders. Frontex will have a dedicated Return Coordination Centre and it will now be able to help carry out returns from third countries.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Europe will always stand up for the protection of its borders. Europe decides who comes to our Union and under what circumstances. This is why today we propose to strengthen Frontex. So, it can support Member States whenever and wherever needed. Including on returns, with the mandate and capabilities that this new reality demands.”

To operationalise the new EU rules on returns, the Commission is also proposing today a Regulation to digitalise return, readmission and reintegration. This will simplify and accelerate the management of returns across the EU, reducing administrative burden and providing a single digital interface for the entire return process.

Today’s 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.

A new Frontex Regulation

Member States are primarily in charge of border protection and to return persons without the right to stay. Today’s proposal will ensure a 360-degree approach for Frontex to assist them in that responsibility: Frontex will be able to anticipate challenges faster and provide tailor-made support to Member States where and when they need it. The Regulation sets out three priorities:

1. Pooled resources and operational capabilities: Frontex pools resources, expertise and operational capacity that no single Member State could sustain alone. To ensure a consistent high standard of border control across the Union, the Commission proposes to:

• Gradually increase Frontex’s standing corps to 30,000 officers by creating a new ‘European border and return reserve’ of 17,000 officers who will remain at the disposal of Member States and can be deployed when needed. This comes in addition to doubling Frontex’s own staff and the already existing 7,000 staff 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.

2. 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.
• Enabling Frontex to support third countries on returns, both for technical and operational support. Frontex will be able to help organising and carrying out return operations from one third country to another, subject to the conclusion of an agreement with the third country concerned, in compliance with fundamental rights and international standards.

3. 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 comes also as a lesson 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 the external border 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 Frontex’s [AG1] Executive Director following a request by a Member State facing an emergency situation.
• Improving 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.

Next steps

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.

Background

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) is a decentralised agency that since 2005 supports EU Member States and Schengen-associated countries in the management of the EU’s external borders and the fight against cross-border crime, as well as in the return of non-EU nationals with no right to stay in the EU. Frontex also plays a key role in search and rescue operations, supporting Member States in saving lives at sea.

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

Questions and answers

Factsheet

Regulation amending the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation

Regulation on Digitalisation of case management in the area of return, readmission and reintegration