The European Parliament has approved a new regulation that strengthens the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) by further supplying it with staff and technical equipment.

With 403 votes pro, 162 against and 44 abstentions, the European Parliament approved the regulation that gives FRONTEX a broader mandate to support the activities of EU Member States, in particular regarding border control, return and cooperation with third countries. It also incorporates the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) into FRONTEX’s framework, in a bid to improve its functioning.

Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola, who piloted and negotiated the law said after the voting took place on Wednesday that security was the main concern of every individual that she met since she was elected a representative of the Maltese and Gozitan people in the EP.

“I wanted a law which is fair with those in need of protection, firm with those who do not, and harsh with those who seek to exploit the most vulnerable. We can only address security and the challenges of migration if we keep this principle in mind,” Metsola said.

The regulation was previously adopted by the European Council on Friday, November 8. According to a press release of the Council of the European Union, FRONTEX will have at its disposal a standing corps that will ensure coherent management of EU external borders and enable it to adequately respond to crises.

“This corps, to be established gradually, will consist of up to 10 000 operational staff by 2027. It will include operational staff members from Frontex, as well as from the member states either under long term secondments or deployed for a short time, and a reserve for rapid reaction which will be kept until the end of 2024,” the press release reads.

The Minister of the Interior of Finland Maria Ohisalo asserted that the well-functioning management of external borders in essential in maintaining a fully functioning Schengen area and efficient and humane management of migration.

“These new rules will allow FRONTEX to play a bigger role in supporting Member States in border control, on returns and in cooperating with third countries,” she said.

In early September, the council had supported a budget for 2020 that among others foresaw the allocation of €101.4 million to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, or +32.4% compared to 2019, in order to support the new standing corps.

The new standing corps foresees 5,000 operational staff by 2021, while the standing corps will be fully operational by 2027 with 10,000 staff. The standing corps will consist of border and coast guards employed by the agency as well as staff seconded on a mandatory basis by EU countries.

Frontex was established in 2004 under a bid to improve the integrated management of the EU external borders. In 2017, Frontex was expanded to become the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.