BRUSSELS, Oct 27 - The European Commission proposed a major expansion of the powers of the EU border agency Frontex on Tuesday, including giving it the capacity to act beyond EU territory, in the aftermath of the massive rush to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last summer.
The proposal would significantly expand Frontex's mandate, providing additional resources and empowering the agency to support non-EU countries to return migrants to the countries of origin.
The proposed legislation is an attempt to make Frontex more reactive to large-scale arrivals at the EU's borders, such as in Ceuta on the North African coast, as European governments push for tougher migration policies despite concerns from rights advocates over accountability.
"Today we propose that Frontex becomes the central EU actor on returns," Magnus Brunner, commissioner for internal affairs and migration, told reporters.
"It will be able to act faster, with a quick reaction force that can deploy within 24 hours and spot risks early, before an event becomes a crisis," Brunner added.
OVERSIGHT CONCERNS
But while the proposal would significantly broaden Frontex's role, it would also narrow the scope of its internal rights watchdog, with complaints referred to national authorities to handle.
The proposal comes as member states increasingly focus on returns, arguing that too many migrants ordered to leave the bloc ultimately remain.
Although irregular arrivals have decreased, the arrival of more than 72,000 people in Ceuta from Morocco in late July, most of whom later left, reignited debate over the EU's migration rules and was cited by several member states as evidence for stronger tools.
The plan envisages gradually expanding Frontex's standing corps to 30,000 officers by creating a new "European border and return reserve" of 17,000 officers, who would remain at the disposal of member states and could be deployed when needed, the commission said in a statement.
The proposal would create a new EU Return Coordination Centre within Frontex and expand the agency's role across the entire deportation process, from voluntary return counselling to organising returns and reintegration support, the statement said.
The proposal would also create a new online monitoring centre to track border-related developments on social media and support action against content linked to border security risks.
The proposal was met with criticism from rights groups and lawmakers.
"The Commission is pandering to populism and the far right on migration," said Tineke Strik, a Dutch MEP from the Greens/EFA group.
"We need a human rights-based approach to border management and Frontex plays a key role. But instead the Commission risks turning Frontex into a European version of ICE," she said. REUTERS