Frontex rights office tracks complaints, training, and reform in 2024

Frontex’s Fundamental Rights Office (FRO) has released its 2024 Annual Report, outlining how the agency is working to protect the rights of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees along Europe’s borders. The report gives a detailed look at progress made, where problems persist, and how the FRO is working to bring rights concerns into day-to-day operations—from returns and field surveillance to cooperation with national border agencies.

“War, unrest, and crises haven’t gone away—they continue to shape Europe’s borders,” said Jonas Grimheden, head of the Fundamental Rights Office. “But it’s exactly in these moments that we need strong rights safeguards. Our job is to make sure people aren’t forgotten in the middle of pressure and fast decisions.”

In 2024, FRO deployed monitors to 20 countries for nearly 2,000 field days. More than 50 serious incident reports were opened, and close to 100 complaints were reviewed. The office also co-monitored over 200 return operations with national authorities, and dedicated 500 field days to training efforts.

The report comes at a time of big changes inside the agency, including a new command structure and regional hubs. FRO says it is adjusting to stay closely involved in how operations are planned and carried out. A new long-term strategy sets out the Office’s broader goal: to make rights protections part of every corner of Frontex’s work.

The annual report also reviews outreach, monitoring in partner countries, and support to member states. It is meant for both technical and general readers and aims to push the border conversation toward more rights-based policies.