News

This week, Frontex hosted a delegation of members of European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) to discuss the progress of its transformation into the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

The LIBE Committee played a crucial role as co-legislator in the passage of the regulation to create the European Border and Coast Guard Agency on the basis of Frontex. The regulation came into effect in October 2016, less than a year after it was first proposed by the European Commission.

The LIBE Committee delegation included Artis Pabriks (EPP, LV), the former rapporteur for the new regulation, along with Brice Hortefeux (EPP, FR) and Péter Niedermüller (S&D, HU).

During the two-day visit, the agency highlighted its new activities and responsibilities, including the creation of rapid reaction pool of 1 500 border guards and new competences in return activities, as well as Frontex’s role in the European coast guard functions and the development of the vulnerability assessments of all member states. The MEPs also learned about Frontex’s enhanced cooperation with non-EU countries and the creation of a complaint mechanism.