Author: European Commission.

The news:

The European Commission in December proposed to establish a new Agency – designed to meet the new challenges and political realities faced by the EU, both as regards migration and internal security.

The European Border and Coast Guard was agreed by the European Parliament and Council in a record time of just 9 months and will become operational as of 6 October 2016 at the Bulgarian external border with Turkey.

The new Agency will ensure Union standards for border management are implemented at all external borders; carry out periodic risk analyses and mandatory vulnerability assessments to identify and address weak spots; be able to draw on a rapid reserve pool of at least 1,500 border guards and a technical equipment pool; play an enhanced role in return operations.

The background:

The establishment of a European Border and Coast Guard is a key measure under the European Agenda on Migration to reinforce the management and security of the EU’s external borders.

President Juncker has stressed in his State of the Union speech the need for the EU institutions and the Member States to work very closely together to quickly set up the new Agency. According to the Bratislava Roadmap a full capacity for rapid reaction of the European Border and Coast Guard should be ensured before the end of the year. Moreover, the strengthening of the protection of our external border will contribute to create the confidence needed to restore the full functioning of the Schengen area, according to the Back to Schengen Roadmap.

The event:

Thursday 6 October 2016 at 11:30 local time (10:30 Brussels time): Official launch of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency by Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, followed by a press conference. For accredited journalists only. Available on EbS.

The sources:

FACTSHEET: The European Border and Coast Guard

REGULATION on the European Border and Coast Guard