German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) wants the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex to play a greater role in return procedures. “We are of the view that we can make greater use of Frontex in return procedures,” Dobrindt said on Saturday at the start of the so-called Munich Migration Meeting. In the future, Frontex should help “organise return procedures already in transit countries”, meaning countries outside the European Union. EU Interior Commissioner Magnus Brunner announced that Frontex would receive a “stronger” mandate for this purpose.
“Of course, this would always depend on the willingness of these countries,” the minister added. “And we also want to make greater use of Frontex in the future when it comes to Dublin procedures within the European Union,” Dobrindt said. Under the Dublin procedure, authorities determine which European country is responsible for examining an asylum application.
Dobrindt described the proposal as a “further development” of Frontex. He said this would also involve “an expanded mandate for Frontex”. Such an expansion was “urgently necessary”, he said. The EU Commission will present a new, “stronger mandate for Frontex” in the “near future”, EU Interior Commissioner Markus Brunner said.
Frontex is currently primarily responsible for protecting the EU’s external borders. Although the agency already supports member states with returns, responsibility for carrying them out generally remains with national authorities.
The Münchner Merkur reported on Friday on the planned expansion of Frontex’s mandate. According to the report, the border agency could in future also be responsible for the return of migrants directly from border procedures, as well as for returns from transit countries that are not EU members, such as Serbia, Kosovo or Albania. Frontex could also become active worldwide to organise returns to deportation centres in third countries outside the EU.
Germany is currently preparing such deportation centres together with the EU countries Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria and Greece. The aim is to reach an agreement with a third country by the end of the year. In the summer, talks focused particularly on Rwanda, although other countries in Africa or Asia could also be considered.
Dobrindt expressed confidence “that we will succeed, within this group of five countries and with the support of the Commission, in reaching such agreements with third countries”. The minister also expects the deportation centres to have a “deterrent effect”. The aim, he stressed, is to destroy the business model of criminal gangs.
The so-called Munich Migration Meeting took place on Saturday afternoon at Dobrindt’s invitation. Seventeen European interior ministers were expected to attend.
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