Exclusive: EU to give Frontex new powers to deport migrants from outside Europe
Under new rules, the EU border agency will be allowed to transfer migrants between third countries, expanding its operations beyond Europe and facilitating deportations from return hubs.
The European Union's border agency, Frontex, is set to receive expanded powers to deport irregular migrants from non-EU countries back to their origins, according to EU officials. This move will see Frontex's operational reach extend beyond EU territory, which could draw criticism from civil society groups. Currently, Frontex agencies can assist national authorities in returning irregular migrants within the EU to their countries of origin, and patrol the bloc's external borders.
The new rules will allow Frontex to support third countries, such as North African nations, in returning Central African citizens back to their countries of origin before they even attempt to reach Europe. Frontex officials will also be able to assist in deportations from designated return hubs in third countries, which several EU nations are negotiating to establish.
This reform marks a shift in Frontex's role from primarily a border patrol agency to a deportation agency operating further from the EU's actual borders. However, civil society organizations are calling for stronger oversight and accountability mechanisms to ensure migrants' fundamental rights are protected, given Frontex's past involvement in rights violations within Europe.
The reform will also introduce a rapid-response force and an online surveillance unit to monitor social media for large-scale migrant movements. The EU's next seven-year budget will allocate €12 billion for Frontex, doubling its previous funding.
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