CM2519 Meijers Committee’s comments on the proposed reform of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation (2019/1896)

In view of the anticipated reform of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation (2019/1896) (EBCG Regulation), this comment will  draw attention to three of the Meijers Committee’s principal concerns. The forthcoming proposal is expected to expand Frontex’s activity in third countries, further enlarge the standing corps and bring about an intensification of drone-based surveillance by Frontex. These new developments aggravate the existing concerns which the Meijers Committee has been voicing for the past two decades: that Frontex is lacking adequate fundamental rights embedding and accountability mechanisms to ensure the effective protection of fundamental rights. After setting out the accountability concerns, concrete recommendations will be made to include robust fundamental rights safeguards and accountability structures in the reform proposal.