EU Agentschap voor Buitengrenzen: Algemene informatie (en)

The Justice, Liberty and Security Council of 14 April 2005 decided unanimously that Warsaw would be the location of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Agency). This was formally adopted at the Council of 26^th April 2005.

The Commission selected the candidates for the post of Executive Director of the Agency, adopted on 25 May 2005 a short list and sent it for decision taken to the Management Board of the Agency. This Board consists of representatives of the Member States (+ Norway and Iceland) and of the Commission. The Board decides by 2/3 majority of all members with a right to vote on the appointment of the Executive Director.

On 25 May 2005, the Management Board of the FRONTEX Agency met for the first time in Warsaw, Poland. The Management Board adopted its Rules of Procedure and elected Mr BEUVING of the Netherlands as Chairperson. Mr BENDEK of Hungary was elected Deputy Chairperson. The Management Board, on the basis of the short list submitted by the Commission, appointed Mr LAITINEN of Finland as Executive Director of the Agency.

The Agency will have a staffing up to 57 people for 2005-2006, consisting of 26 officials or temporary staff, including Executive Director and his deputy, and 24 detached national experts from the Member States and 7 contracted staff.

The Agency will coordinate/assist the competent services of Member States responsible for implementing the Schengen acquis on control of persons at the external borders (national border guard services).

The Agency shall perform the following tasks:

• coordinate operational cooperation between Member States in the field of management of external borders;
• assist Member States on training of national border guards, including the establishment of common training standards;
• carry out risk analyses;
• follow up on the development of research relevant for the control and surveillance of external borders;
• assist Member States in circumstances requiring increased technical and operational assistance at external borders;
• provide Member States with the necessary support in organising joint return operations.

The Agency tasks do not refer to controls on goods and customs as such will not be coordinated by the Agency. The evaluation of the Agency foreseen for 2007 (see below) will look at the feasibility of making the Agency responsible for coordinating cooperation with customs and other authorities at the external borders responsible for goods-related security matters.

As regards police in general, Member States are cooperating in the framework of Europol. As can be seen from the Regulation establishing the Agency (Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 of 26 October 2004, cf. OJ L 349, p. 1), it is foreseen that the Agency shall itself also cooperate with Europol.

The annual work programme for 2005 is foreseen to be discussed and adopted by the Management Board on the proposal of the Executive Director on 30 June 2005. The Commission together with Member States will do its utmost to ensure the continuity of operational coordination activities already in process or planned by the Common Centres at the external borders in the transition period until the Agency takes over fully.

Article 33 of the Regulation provides for an independent external evaluation to be carried out. According to the "Hague Programme", this evaluation shall be carried out in 2007.

The budget for the Agency is € 6,28 Mio for 2005 and 9,95 for 2006 (may be raised with an additional 2 Mio €, but this is not yet confirmed). In the new EU Financial Perspectives, the Commission has proposed an amount of €20 Mio for 2007, €25 Mio for 2008 and €30 Mio for the years after. Besides the money to be allocated for the Agency, we have equally proposed, the creation of a European External Borders Fund, worth €2, 1 Billion to compensate MS for external border controlling activities they undertake.