EU Council Invites Ministers to Exchange Views on Frontex

Such a meeting where the minister will get to exchange views on Frontex will take place on June 10, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

“On the occasion of the “Schengen Council” on June 10, the Presidency is proposing a first political exchange of views to the Ministers. The aim is to take stock of how the well-resourced agency can respond effectively to the needs of Member States at the EU’s external border,” the statement of the Council reads.

According to Statewatch, a non-profit organisation that monitors civil liberties and other issues in the EU, before the meeting takes place, the ministers have been invited to present their views as well as analyses on the trajectory pursued in the deployment of permanent corps. Such an analysis needs to be based on the available pool and identified needs.

In addition, the ministers have also been invited to share their ideas on how the management board should guide Frontex in line with policy guidelines as well as evaluate whether the rules governing Frontex constitute appropriate legal bases for its tasks.

Last but not least, the ministers have been invited to share their expectations for the development of Frontex’s ‘external action’.

While the Council only shared some of the points the meeting will focus on, Statewatch pointed out that somewhat of a tricky passage comes on the paper. In the paper, the Council recounts the operation of Frontex under the framework of the EU law and the law of host member states before focusing on the right of the member state to safeguard public order alongside safeguarding the border security.

The same source explains that in order to link these concepts, the paper sets out situations where nationals of third countries forcefully enter into the territory of an EU Member State. According to them, this right must be balanced with proportionate measures that respect fundamental human rights and allow access to regular entry opportunities.

Apart from the above-mentioned, the paper predicts increased use of pre-existing migration routes due to the impact that the shortage of food, as well as the war in Ukraine, has had in different parts of the world.

Taking into account the role and the actions of Frontex, ministers now need to confirm whether the rules applicable to the agency form a legal framework appropriate to the tasks it is to perform in the future