For the first time, the European Union has its own uniformed service – the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps. This new border corps, composed of Frontex and EU Member States’ officers, is able to support the Member States facing challenges at their external borders at any time.
Trained by the best and equipped with the latest that technology has to offer, Frontex Border and Coast Guards are ready for tomorrow’s challenges at the EU's external borders, helping to ensure their proper functioning.
Frontex border guards work under the command of the national authorities of the country they are deployed in.
Frontex border guards support EU and Schengen countries in tasks such as:
Frontex border guards work in operational areas at the EU’s external borders. Frontex officers may also work in a non-EU country, provided it has signed a Status Agreement with the EU.
Frontex border guards wear uniforms, carry a service weapon, and have executive powers. This means that Frontex officers can perform tasks such as verifying a person’s identity and nationality, allowing or refusing entry into the EU, and patrolling between border crossing points.
The Standing Corps is composed of four categories of officers:
Category 1: Border guards directly employed by Frontex as staff members and regularly deployed to border guarding missions according to their professional profile
Category 2: Long-term staff seconded from EU Member States
Category 3: Short-term staff seconded from EU Member States
Category 4: Reserve force composed of EU Member States' border guards available to Frontex for rapid border management crisis deployment
In total, by 2027, the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps will comprise 10,000 people, among them 3,000 Category 1 Officers or Frontex staff. The remaining 7,000 officers will be seconded to the Standing Corps by EU Member States.
All the positions offered for recruitment will be divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels, depending on the candidates’ professional experience and skills. As a Frontex border guard, you will have a specified function, such as Border Guard Officer, Document Expert, and Cross-Border Crime Detection Officer.
Each of the selected candidates will receive basic training of up to six months in order to become ready for deployment in Frontex operational areas. This will ensure that the newly-trained officers have the necessary skills to work together in any operational area while fully complying with applicable EU legal and ethical standards.
More about Frontex training here.
Each Standing Corps officer receives basic training in order to prepare for deployment in operational areas. This ensures that newly-trained officers have the necessary skills to work together in any particular operational area while fully complying with applicable EU legal and ethical standards.
After basic training, Standing Corps officers undergo various types of specialised training throughout their career.
Officers may specialise in tasks such as detecting fraudulent documents, assisting with return operations or helping to spot stolen cars. Other officers may work in the area of gathering information or collecting data on criminal networks.
Throughout their career, Standing Corps officers will have the opportunity to acquire new professional profiles in line with their ongoing work experience, but also to perform new tasks, giving them the chance to have the full experience of integrated border management.
