The European Commission adopted, on Tuesday 25 October, a recommendation of the EU Council to authorise the opening of negotiations to update the status agreements organising the cooperation of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) with Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, it announced in a press release.
The Commission also adopted a new assistance package worth €39.2 million under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) to strengthen border management in the Western Balkans. The announcements come as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be in the region next week.
The new status agreements will allow Frontex to be deployed in the four partner countries with enhanced competences, the Commission explains.
Under the current agreements with these four countries, the deployment of the permanent Frontex body can only take place at the borders of these countries with the EU and without exercising executive powers. The new agreement will allow the permanent Frontex body to be deployed also at the borders of these four countries with other third countries and to exercise executive powers.
The text of the draft recommendation was not available at the time of going to press. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)