Standing Corps

For the first time, the EU has its own uniformed service – the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps. Trained by the best and equipped with the latest technology, the Standing Corps is ready for challenges at the EU’s external borders, helping to ensure the proper functioning of the European Union and the Schengen Area.

The operational work of the Agency includes assisting Member States with border control, comprising border checks and border surveillance. Frontex also supports Member States with migration management and return activities, it helps national authorities carry out coast guard functions, making border crossings safe and smooth for all travellers, and assists in fighting cross-border crime.

Frontex Standing Corps work under the command of the national authorities of the country in which they are deployed. They work in many EU Member States to support a wide range of operations. They are also present in many order crossing points and airports, as well as at the Agency’s headquarters in Warsaw.

Additionally, Standing Corps officers work in countries outside the EU’s borders that have signed a Status Agreement with the EU, such as Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Standing Corps are also deployed in an advisory capacity to countries that have agreed a Working Arrangement with Frontex, while other travel around the word to support the Member States in carrying out returns.

The formation of the Standing Corps marked a major achievement of European integration. It also transformed Frontex into a truly operational arm of the EU. Already there are more Frontex staff members supporting operational activities in the field than at its headquarters.

The Standing Corps helps make the Schengen Area and EU sea basins, the largest free travel area in the world, stronger and more resilient.

On a permanent basis, the Standing Corps assists with border checks and border surveillance at land, air and sea. They also provide support for migration management in the form of nationality screening, registration, fingerprinting and debriefing interviews, as well in the field of return, including the identification and documentation of returnee, their actual return and reintegration support.

Standing Corps officers help detect illegal drugs, firearms, and other illegal activity at EU external borders, and contribute to coast guard functions alongside competent authorities. Many members of the Standing Corps assist with the return of individuals who are residing in Europe illegally, what includes providing a special support to vulnerable people and families. They also have executive powers to perform border control checks and may carry a firearm.

The Standing Corps is composed of three categories of officers. These include Frontex personnel and officers who are sent from EU Member States to the Agency on long- or short-term missions.

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 deployed from EU Member States.

In total, by 2027, the Standing Corps will comprise 10,000 people, among them 3,000 Category 1 officers. The other 7,000 officers will be seconded and deployed from EU Member States.

Each Standing Corps officer receives basic training in order to prepare for deployment in operational areas. This ensures that they have the skills necessary to work together in any operational area, in full compliance with EU law.

After basic training, Standing Corps officers undergo various types of specialised training throughout their careers.

Standing Corps officers may specialise in tasks such as detecting fraudulent documents, assisting with return operations or helping to identify stolen vehicles. Others may work on information-gathering or collecting data on criminal networks.

Throughout their careers, Standing Corps officers will have the opportunity to acquire new professional profiles in line with their experience and to take on new tasks, gaining broad exposure across integrated border management.

The Standing Corps was established by Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of 13 November 2019, which covers issues associated with the European Border and Coast Guard.