The Frontex Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights published its eleventh annual report. The report outlines the main observations and recommendations that the Forum raised throughout 2023 with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and its Management Board to strengthen fundamental rights protection in Frontex activities.
The Consultative Forum advised the agency on the identification of vulnerable persons, visited operations in Italy and Serbia, and provided fundamental rights advice within the Fundamental Rights Guidance Board of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
The Executive Director, Hans Leijtens, engaged constructively with the Consultative Forum and stressed the need for increased transparency concerning Frontex’s activities.
While acknowledging the increasingly open and frank exchanges between the Agency and the Consultative Forum, specific issues need attention. For instance, the Consultative Forum observed that the Fundamental Rights Officer encountered limited collaboration from the Member States in the gathering and verification of information concerning investigations of serious incident reports.
Fundamental rights protection at Frontex can only be effective when supported by a conducive environment that contemplates timely investigations into allegations of fundamental rights violations by Member States’ justice systems and independent monitoring mechanisms.
While Frontex regularly reports to the Frontex Scrutiny Working Group of the European Parliament’s LIBE Committee, further efforts need to be made in relation to the follow-up by Frontex on the Consultative Forum’s and the Fundamental Rights Officer’s recommendations, including in terms of feedback on the advice received.
In 2024 the Consultative Forum will continue engaging with Frontex on the protection of fundamental rights through operational visits, recommendations, and other forms of advice.