The European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) recommended on Monday 27 September to give discharge to the Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency on the implementation of the Frontex agency’s budget for 2019.
But MEPs called for a freeze on part of Frontex’s operating budget by adopting (27 votes in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention) the report by Ryszard Czarnecki (ECR, Poland).
While acknowledging that Frontex has taken steps to address the shortcomings identified by the European Parliament last spring (see EUROPE 12708/12), MEPs called for improvements in its recruitment and financial management as well as in its operations to combat illegal immigration and cross-border crime.
MEPs therefore call for part of the Frontex 2022 budget to be frozen. The money would be released once the Agency has fulfilled conditions. These include the recruitment of 20 missing fundamental rights monitors and three Deputy Executive Directors suitably qualified to fill these positions, the establishment of a reporting mechanism for serious incidents at the EU’s external borders and a functioning fundamental rights monitoring system.
The Committee on Budgets (BUDG) will vote on its position on the 2022 budget on Tuesday. One of the amendments provides for the setting aside of €90 million of the Frontex budget, or 12% of the proposed draft budget for Frontex. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)