MEPs fear fundamental rights will take a hit under plans to expand EU border agency

Members of the European Parliament are concerned that fundamental rights could suffer under plans to expand the mandate of EU border agency Frontex. Last week, Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner presented plans for a sweeping overhaul of Frontex that would put it in charge of everything from strategic planning and pooling resources for cost-efficient returns to reintegration support — and also allow it to help non-EU countries with deportations from their territory.

On Wednesday, Brunner addressed MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee about those plans. While member state authorities would still take decisions on returns, the EU border agency will become “responsible for return-related support from the beginning to the end, from A to Z,” Brunner said.

Under the Commission plan, Frontex could also help deport people from EU countries to hubs in countries outside the bloc, and from those hubs to third countries, the commissioner confirmed.