On Monday 1 April, the EU Council approved the interinstitutional agreement reached on 28 March on the new rules of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (see EUROPE 12224/14). The EU Council thus confirmed that the Agency will have a permanent corps of 10,000 border guards by 2027, composed of statutory and deployed staff from Member States, and that it will have enhanced capacity to assist Member States in the return of nationals of non-Member States in an irregular situation.
Frontex officials will also have more 'administrative' powers: they will be able to carry out identity checks, authorise entry to the territory and carry out surveillance of external borders, but only on the basis of an agreement with the Member State concerned by these actions, in addition to being able to identify the persons to be returned.
The new rules provide for even more cooperation with non-Member States and the opening of an Agency branch also in non-Member States while operations are being carried out (an agreement from the non-Member State will also be required).
The former Frontex will now also be able to conduct joint return operations with North African and other non-Member States and not only with the EU's immediate neighbours. However, return operations from non-Member States to non-Member States will not be part of the Agency's mandate, as requested by the European Parliament. The Parliament Civil Liberties Committee was initially scheduled to vote on the agreement defended by Malta's Roberta Metsola (EPP) on 1 April, but will ultimately do so on 2 April. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)