Warsaw, 28 November 2013 — The Frontex Management Board unanimously elected Mr. Ralf Göbel to continue as Chair at its 46th meeting yesterday. Mr Göbel has served as Chair since April 2012. His deputy, Mr. Marko Gasperlin of Slovenia, was also confirmed as Deputy Chair for another two-year term. The term of office of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson is two years and may only be extended once. Mr Göbel is from the Federal Ministry of Interior Directorate General of the Federal Police and represents Germany on the Management Board. He will continue to serve as Chair until April 2016. Mr. Gasperlin will serve as Deputy Chair until February 2016.
The Frontex Management Board is composed of representatives of the heads of the border authorities of the 26 EU Member States that are signatories of the Schengen acquis, plus two members of the European Commission. Representatives from the United Kingdom and Ireland are also invited to participate in Management Board meetings. Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (countries which are not EU Member States, but which are associated with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis) also participate in the agency’s Management Board meetings. Each of them sends one representative to the Management Board but retains limited voting rights.
The next meeting of the Management Board will be on 19-20 February 2014, in Warsaw.