FRONTEX - the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union
| This regulation sets up the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) to improve the integrated management of the Union’s external borders. ACTCouncil Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 of 26 October 2004 establishing a European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union [See amending act(s)]. SUMMARYThe European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) is set up in response to the need to improve the integrated management of the external borders of the European Union (EU). Although responsibility for the control and surveillance of external borders lies with Member States, the agency will facilitate the application of existing and future EU measures relating to the management of these borders. In this context, “external borders” means Member States' land and sea borders, airports and seaports to which the provisions of EU law on the crossing of external borders by persons apply. Tasks of the agency The main tasks of the agency are to:
Without prejudice to the competencies of the agency, Member States may continue cooperation at an operational level with other Member States and/or third countries where such cooperation complements the action of the agency. Member States must report to the agency on such activities where they are conducted outside the framework of the agency. Structure and organisation of the agency The agency is an EU body with legal personality. It is independent in relation to technical matters and is managed and represented by its executive director. The executive director, who is independent in the performance of his/her duties, is appointed for five years by the management board on the grounds of merit, documented administrative and management skills, and relevant experience in the field of management of external borders. He/she is assisted by a deputy executive director. The management board also adopts the agency’s general report, work programme and staffing policy and establishes the agency’s organisational structure. It is composed of one representative from each Member State and two Commission representatives. Each Member State also appoints an alternate, while the Commission appoints two alternates. The term of office of management board members is four years, renewable once. Countries associated with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis participate in the agency and appoint each a representative and an alternate to the management board. With regard to communication, the agency is responsible for publishing its general report, as well as for providing the public and any interested party with objective, reliable and easily understandable information on its work. The agency is funded by an EU grant, a contribution from the associated countries, fees for services provided and voluntary contributions from Member States. The financial rules applicable to the agency are adopted by the management board after consulting the Commission. The management board commissions an independent external evaluation of the implementation of this regulation within three years from the date the agency takes up its responsibilities and will commission a similar evaluation every five years thereafter. It will issue recommendations based on the findings of these evaluations. The agency takes up its responsibilities on 1 May 2005. Background The aim of EU policy in the field of external borders is to set up integrated management ensuring a high and uniform level of checks on persons and surveillance as a prerequisite for the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice. In its communication of 7 May 2002 entitled "Towards integrated management of the external borders of the Member States of the European Union", the Commission advocated the setting-up of an "external borders practitioners' common unit" tasked with managing operational cooperation at Member States’ external borders. The plan for the management of the external borders of Member States, agreed by the Council on 13 June 2002, endorsed the setting-up of the external borders practitioners' common unit as a means of establishing integrated management of the external borders. However, this unit has demonstrated structural limitations as regards coordination of operational cooperation. This regulation is in response to the request made by the Thessaloniki European Council in its conclusions of 16 and 17 October 2003. It builds on the experiences gained from cooperation between Member States within the common unit, over which the agency takes responsibility for coordinating operational cooperation. REFERENCES
RELATED ACTSCommunication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 13 February 2008 – Report on the evaluation and future development of the FRONTEX Agency [COM(2008) 67 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
Council Decision 2005/358/EC of 26 April 2005 designating the seat of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union [Official Journal L 114 of 4.5.2005]. Arrangements Council Decision 2010/490/EU of 26 July 2010 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Arrangement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein, of the other part, on the modalities of the participation by those States in the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union [Official Journal L 243 of 16.9.2010]. Council Decision 2007/511/EC of 15 February 2007 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Community, of an Arrangement between the European Community and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the modalities of the participation by those States in the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union [Official Journal L 188 of 20.7.2007]. Last updated: 24.11.2010 |
