The EU is considering significant changes to Frontex’s role, shifting towards technological advancements like drone operations, cyber monitoring, and AI surveillance. Recent discussion documents from Denmark, which holds the EU presidency, reveal plans to expand Frontex’s capabilities ahead of the 2026 regulation review. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed increasing the agency’s standing corps to 30,000 by 2027. However, EU capitals are divided on the need for additional personnel versus advanced technology. Proposed enhancements include support for drone surveillance, document fraud detection, and combating organized crime. A new border-management force may be established for urgent situations. As Frontex’s mandate potentially broadens to include cybersecurity, returns operations, and migrant transfers with non-EU countries, concerns about governance and fundamental rights oversight, along with calls for a new evaluation mechanism, highlight the complexities involved in this evolution. The discussions illustrate the ongoing evolution of EU border security in response to modern threats.
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