The European Commission will propose new legislation in 2026 to reform Frontex, the European Union border agency, with the aim of strengthening its presence, its role and its responsibilities, a spokesman for the European Commission in Euronews said.
The Commission intends to “strengthen Frontex, further improve border security and strengthen EU cooperation in the face of threats,” said the spokesperson.
Frontex becomes an increasingly important agency for EU countries, because migration and border management remain politically responsible for the consumer political debate.
The agency manages the EU borders for the passage of migrants, but also to fight against cross -border crimes linked to illegal traffic of a wide range of goods.
“It started by being more an information center, a coordination mechanism, and it was not until 2019 that the mandate (Frontex) became executive,” said executive director of the agency Hans Leijtens in an interview with Euronews. “So, only six years ago, we changed from this hub between the Member States to really have our own staff in uniform, armed and European.”
Based in Warsaw, the agency helps EU member states to manage their borders by providing staff, resources and equipment. On the ground, it helps to implement the EU rules, such as migration and the asylum pact, a group of laws approved in the last mandate. FRONTEX is also committed to the EU countries through ad hoc cooperation agreements.
The new reform should see a significant increase in staff, resources and border control equipment, but also more roles for the agency in the next legislation on border management and operational support in EU countries.
Role in feedback
The European Commission presented new legislation on migrant feedback in February. Before the publication of the law, some EU countries expressed their desire to give Fourtex a major role on yields and potentially, a broader presence in the EU countries, according to a document seen by Euronews.
The role of Frontex in yields could be part of its new reform. Currently, the agency can provide “operational and technical support” when an EU country requests it, in order to repatriate rejected asylum seekers or foreigners without the right to remain.
Frontex agents could be involved in the different phases of the process, both when the return is “voluntary” (the repatriated travel as a regular passenger on a commercial flight) or it is “forced” (where the returnee is put on a flight and escorted to their country of origin).
“After having sent people, we have a so-called post-return program, which is intended to help people resume their lives. And for that, we actually hire NGOs to do this in our name with European Frontex funding,” Leijtens told Euronews.
In 2022, Frontex supported The yield of 24,850 people, 40% of which came back voluntarily. In 2023, its involvement increased to 58%, according to at the NGO Statewatch.
Growing staff
In 2019, the Approved reform An increase in staff up to 10,000 officers by 2027. “At the moment, we are still in the preparation, so in 2027, we should have 10,000 (agents), to be deployed in 2028. And this is made up of three categories: our own Frontex staff, the second short -term second of the Member and Long -term State,” said Leijtentes.
According to the agency websiteFrontex counted more than 2,100 staff members in 2023 in total. But the number has increased significantly in recent years: currently, Frontex has 8,000 officers, 1,500 of which are directly employed by the agency – the others are members of the member states in the short and long -term assignment, said a spokesperson for Frontex.
In the new reform, staff will increase sharply. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed to triple the agency staff on the basis of the target of 2027 – which would mean an objective of up to 30,000 officers. But there will be no deadline at the time when Frontex is expected to reach these figures, a spokesperson for the European Commission said in Euronews.
ADVERTISEMENTA spokesperson from Frontex said he was “too early to discuss details” when he was asked to comment on the figures.
