- Frontex is the European border security force. It performs a wide range of operations to protect the frontiers of the Schengen Area.
- Frontex plays a key role in the implementation of ETIAS for travel to Europe.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, better known as Frontex, is a European Union (EU) organisation that coordinates and develops border security for the entire Schengen Area.
There are a number of different Frontex operations, including support at borders with a high influx of migrants, rapid response teams, sea rescue missions, training border control officers, and managing the ETIAS Central Unit.
Thanks to a regulation introduced in 2019, Frontex established the European Border and Coast Guard standing corps — the first EU-wide uniformed service.
A key aim of the European Border and Coast Guard regulation was to assist EU national authorities with border control and migration management.
More information on how Frontex operations improve EU border security can be found below.
WHAT IS FRONTEX?
Frontex is a border security agency established by the EU to coordinate responses and help to manage the external borders of the Schengen Area.
The agency was founded in 2004 as the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at External Borders. Frontex is based in Warsaw, Poland.
Frontex stands for Frontières extérieures in French (“external borders”).
The budget for Frontex has increased significantly in recent years due to its important role. From €143 million in 2015 to over €750 million in 2022.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF FRONTEX?
The goal of Frontex is to improve the integrated management of the EU and Schengen Area external borders and to coordinate border control efforts.
Frontex carries out the following activities:
- Coordinates joint operations with Schengen member states
- Rapid responses to assist member states at external borders
- Search and rescue operations at sea
- Analysis of migratory patterns and cross-border criminal activity
- Vulnerability assessments of border control of Schengen member countries
- Combat terrorism, smuggling, and human trafficking
- Establishing and managing the ETIAS Central Unit (ECU)
Frontex has a standing corps of specially trained border guards who are deployed to assist the EU and Schengen member states when needed.
FRONTEX AND ETIAS TO IMPROVE EU BORDER SECURITY
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency will be responsible for setting up and running the Central Unit of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
ETIAS is another measure to improve EU border security. It will be launched in 2026 and fully implemented after a grace period.
With the help of Frontex, ETIAS will screen visa-exempt travellers before they reach the EU.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF FRONTEX AND THE ETIAS CENTRAL UNIT?
The ETIAS Central Unit managed by Frontex will have several important functions, including:
- Verifying travel authorisation applications flagged due to a match in one of the security databases
- Sharing information on potential security risks with the ETIAS National Unit of the relevant member state
- Conducting audits on the processing of applications, in particular regarding privacy and data protection
- Checking data is stored correctly
- Informing the public about ETIAS
- Providing support to both travellers and carriers
The ETIAS Central Unit has trained the first group of operators to oversee the functioning of the ETIAS travel authorisation. Frontex plans to train another 200 ETIAS staff in the next 2 years.
FRONTEX AND THE ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM (EES)
To register for ETIAS, travellers will fill out the ETIAS application form online. Once approved, the travel authorisation is linked to the passport and can be verified when the passport is scanned at the external Schengen border.
To help protect EU external borders, a new system will be introduced to work with ETIAS — the Entry/Exit System (EES). This system will register the entry and exit of non-EU nationals who do not reside in the Schengen Area.
Frontex will support immigration staff in implementing the EES at border controls.
THE FRONTEX STANDING CORPS
The European Border and Coast Guard standing corps were established in 2019, following a regulation to strengthen Frontex.
The EU’s first uniformed service, the standing corps are deployed to the different member states to assist and work under the command of the national authorities.
The Frontex standing corps may perform the following duties:
- Assist with border checks
- Assist with registration and fingerprinting of migrants
- Investigate and respond to illegal activities at the border, such as smuggling drugs or weapons
- Support the returns of individuals staying in the EU illegally
By 2027, Frontex aims to have 10,000 members of staff in the standing corps.
HOW THE 2019 FRONTEX MANDATE HAS IMPROVED EU BORDER CONTROL
The 2019 Frontex regulation has helped to integrate national border and coast guard authorities with Frontex staff.
Former Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri said the new border force would be a “daily partner” to national authorities and design sustainable border management capacities rather than relying on crisis-management techniques.
The ultimate goal of Frontex is to ensure well-functioning external borders in Europe that apply fair laws and help to improve the security of EU citizens.
Frontex’s access to some European Union security systems allows the agency to share relevant information and risk analysis, and help Schengen Area countries to predict challenges at external borders.
FRONTEX OPERATIONS AT EUROPE’S BORDERS
Frontex is currently coordinating 4 major operations at EU and Schengen borders, working closely with the national authorities of the member states involved:
- Operation Poseidon (Greece)
- Operation Minerva, Indalo (Spain)
- Operation Themis (Italy)
- Operations in the Western Balkans
These ongoing operations include assisting in border control and have the following aims:
- Seizure of drugs and weapons
- Identification of people smugglers
- Investigating criminal networks
- Combatting human trafficking
- Finding stolen vehicles
- Detecting illegal fishing
- Detecting fake documents
- Search and rescue at sea
CASE STUDY: FRONTEX PREVENTS CROSS-BORDER CRIME IN EUROPE
In September 2021, Frontex and the Austrian national authorities carried out an international operation targeting organised crime in central and southeastern Europe.
The operation, called EMPACT Joint Action Day, was aimed at preventing people smuggling, human trafficking, and document fraud.
Frontex led the operation, coordinating with police officers and border guards from participating European countries.
In just over a week:
- 144 suspected people smugglers were arrested
- 76 counterfeit documents were detected
- 13 cars identified as being used for criminal activity
This operation demonstrates the essential role of Frontex in maintaining EU border security.
FRONTEX AND THE PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
There are measures in place to ensure Frontex meets its responsibilities regarding the protection of fundamental rights while carrying out its duties.
Frontex must adhere to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights.
All European Border and Coast Guard Agency employees receive training on fundamental human rights. Legislative procedures ensure full compliance.
