Frontex rapid reaction pool operational

(B2) Frontex announced this today (7 December). The rapid reaction pool set up under the new European Border and Coast Guard is operational.

1500 agents in reserve

This “rapid reaction pool” consists of 1500 agents in all, placed in reserve by the European Member States of the Schengen area. In a crisis situation, at the external borders, the agency will be able to deploy — in addition to the staff regularly deployed — the necessary staff, within five working days. In addition to personnel, there is material. Member States have in fact agreed to make available the necessary technical equipment for rapid intervention operations, " including vehicles, vessels and aircraft ».

A powerful tool

It is " an important step in the development of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency launched in October, according to Frontex. « Today, we have acquired a powerful tool which will allow (...) to deal together with emergency situations at the external borders of the EU much faster and more efficiently. We continue to move forward with the development of a genuine European Border and Coast Guard Agency which will no longer face shortages of staff or equipment in its operations stressed from Warsaw (the headquarters of Frontex), the director of the Agency, Fabrice Leggeri.

This rapid reaction pool is in addition to the regular deployment of agents in Frontex operations at the external borders of the EU (1). He will include border surveillance officers, experts in registration and fingerprinting, officers capable of analyzing identity documents and experts in nationality control.

(NGV)

(1) Frontex currently has 1 people deployed at the EU's external borders to assist Member States with border surveillance, registration and identification of migrants.

See our file No. 30. Guard the borders of Europe. Towards a European Coast Guard and Border Guard

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