The European Parliament's draft report on the strengthening of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (formerly Frontex), led by Roberta Metsola (EPP, Malta), is the subject of 1,600 amendments tabled in the Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE), while the vote on this legislative text is scheduled for late January.
After a first parliamentary debate in November 2018 (see EUROPE 12147), the Member of Parliament again took stock, on Thursday 10 January, of the Commission's legislative proposal to provide the Agency with 10,000 permanent staff by 2020 (see EUROPE 12094).
Ms Metsola, as well as a large part of the members of the LIBE Committee, continues to believe that the stated objective is not achievable. On the other hand, it proposes to proceed in stages and has redefined the categories of staff as proposed by the Commission.
Some of the amendments tabled to Parliament's draft report concern the Agency's new powers to carry out illegal migrant return operations in third countries, other than those directly bordering the EU. Others concern the type of training to be given to permanent staff. The MEP and other political parties support the creation of a European agency or a European training centre.
The Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU has indicated that it intends to bring this matter to a successful conclusion during the current parliamentary term. In the Council, a partial political agreement ('general approach') was reached on the components 'returns of illegal migrants' and 'cooperation with third countries' (see EUROPE 12154). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)