The interior ministers of European Union countries believed that Frontex’s mandate did not need to be revised for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to carry out its tasks properly, but that the implementation of its competences could be improved, said the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, on Monday 4 March, at the end of the ministerial meeting.
When asked about the shortcomings of the Agency’s mandate (see EUROPE 13362/2), most ministers agreed with the European Commission’s positive assessment.
They stressed the need to strengthen the assessment of situations, to encourage Frontex to put in place a new organisational structure and welcomed the fact that Frontex provides “important support for the Member States”, said a source.
With regard to the protection of the EU’s external borders, the ministers also discussed the need to forge new partnerships with third countries, along the lines of the one with Tunisia. And as the Commission prepares to finalise such partnerships with Egypt and Mauritania, they stressed the need to “calibrate these agreements properly” and to take account of “the situation in these countries”, stressed Belgian State Secretary for Asylum, Nicole de Moor.
European ministers also discussed the EU action plan for the western Mediterranean, where the number of irregular crossings has risen by 84% since the beginning of 2024.
Asked by EUROPE about the reasons for the failure of negotiations with the European Parliament on the revised directive on the status of long-term residents in the European Union (see other news), Ms de Moor acknowledged that the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council could not expect an agreement because the Member States had expressed difficulties, particularly on technical aspects.
“We have to make sure that we can find the support of the Member States”, and the Belgian Presidency noted last week that the conditions had not been met, she said.
However, the State Secretary pointed out that the EU already has an instrument on this subject, which organises the mobility of third-country nationals.
Bulgaria and Romania
On Monday, the Commission launched two Cooperation Frameworks with Bulgaria and Romania on border and migration management. These Frameworks build on the successful implementation by the two countries of the pilot projects for fast asylum and returns procedures initiated in March 2023 to speed up asylum and return procedures, and allow for moving from ad hoc solutions to sustainable solutions, according to a press release from the EU institution.
The Cooperation Frameworks will enable the two countries to further contribute to the joint European efforts to address EU security at external borders and migratory challenges.
“In particular, the focus will be set on: - support for reinforced measures in the area of border management, asylum and reception, return system and enhanced police cooperation in the Schengen area; - starting preparations to implement the New Pact on Migration and Asylum in Bulgaria and Romania, in particular regarding the national implementation plans”, according to the Commission.
The Community acquis relating to the Schengen area of free movement will be fully applicable in Bulgaria and Romania from 31 March, and internal air and sea border controls shall be lifted (see EUROPE 13320/4).
The Luxembourg minister, Léon Gloden, said he was convinced that the two countries would soon fully join the area of free movement of people. His French counterpart, Gérald Darmanin, also reiterated Paris’s support for full accession.
Links to the two negotiation frameworks: https://aeur.eu/f/b44 ; https://aeur.eu/f/b4k (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)