EU set to expand Frontex deportation powers beyond the bloc's borders

New rules would allow the border agency to transfer migrants between third countries and assist with deportations from return hubs

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published26 October 2026

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The European Commission will on Tuesday propose sweeping new powers for Frontex that would allow the EU border agency to return irregular migrants from one non-EU country to another, further extending European migration policy beyond the bloc's territory, according to several EU officials who spoke to Euronews on condition of anonymity.

Under the reforms, Frontex officials, currently restricted to assisting national authorities in deporting migrants from EU countries to their countries of origin and patrolling the bloc's external borders, would also be able to support third-country governments, such as those in North Africa, in returning Central African citizens to their countries of origin before they attempt to reach Europe. 'The more people you return before [they reach Europe], the less you have to return after,' an EU official told Euronews.

The agency would also be allowed to take part in deportations from return hubs, which a recently approved EU law permits member states to establish in third countries. Five EU governments are negotiating the first such hub, expected to become operational in 2027. Migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected and who are hosted in these hubs would ultimately be returned to their countries of origin, with Frontex involvement potentially proving instrumental in carrying out the final transfers.

The reform introduces a rapid-response force to be deployed in the event of sudden large-scale migrant arrivals, and an online surveillance unit tasked with monitoring social media to prevent mass movements, drawing lessons from the mass entry into Ceuta last July when around 90,000 people crossed the border from Morocco. The Commission is also expected to allocate €12 billion to Frontex under the next seven-year EU budget, doubling its previous allocation.

Civil society organisations have reacted with concern. 'It's no longer only an agency supporting EU countries at their borders. It's a deportation agency, increasingly operating far away from the actual border of the EU,' said Josephine Solanki, a researcher from the Amsterdam-based Transnational Institute, in a press briefing ahead of the reform. Several NGOs are demanding that any expansion of Frontex's mandate be accompanied by stronger oversight and accountability mechanisms to safeguard migrants' fundamental rights, arguing that the agency has already been implicated in rights violations during its operations within Europe.

Any cooperation with a third country will require a specific bilateral agreement, similar to the status agreements Frontex already has with Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia. The EU is currently negotiating such an agreement with Senegal, where a Frontex liaison officer with an expanded mandate covering Mauritania and Gambia was appointed in 2023 under informal working arrangements. European Commission Vice-President for Security Henna Virkkunen and Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner are expected to present the reform after the Commission's weekly College meeting on Tuesday.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The reforms extend EU migration enforcement deep into third countries, preventing migrants from ever reaching European borders.
They mark a significant expansion of Frontex's role and budget, doubling its allocation to €12 billion over seven years.
The creation of return hubs in non-EU countries and Frontex's involvement raises legal and human rights questions about the treatment of rejected asylum seekers outside EU jurisdiction.

Background

Frontex currently assists EU member states in returning irregular migrants from the bloc to their countries of origin, patrols external borders and coastlines, and conducts joint operations in some neighbouring countries under status agreements. The new rules would allow the agency to operate beyond Europe's immediate neighbourhood, transferring migrants between third countries before they attempt to reach the EU. The reform also follows the recent approval of a law permitting EU countries to establish return hubs in third countries; five governments are now negotiating the first such hub, expected to open in 2027.

Key Perspectives

EU official (anonymous): says preventative returns reduce the need for returns after migrants reach Europe. 'The more people you return before [they reach Europe], the less you have to return after.' Josephine Solanki, Transnational Institute, and NGOs: argue the reform turns Frontex into a 'deportation agency' operating far from EU borders and demand stronger oversight and accountability to protect migrants' fundamental rights, citing past rights violations during Frontex operations in Europe.

What to Watch

Tuesday's official presentation by Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner.
Progress on the status agreement with Senegal and the negotiation of the first return hub expected to open in 2027.
Reaction from civil society and possible legal challenges as Frontex's expanded mandate moves closer to implementation.

Sources

Exclusive: EU to give Frontex new powers to deport migrants from outside Europe · Euronews

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 6 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe EU is set to expand Frontex’s deportation powers beyond the bloc’s borders.Euronews: “The EU’s border agency Frontex is set to gain new powers to return irregular migrants from one non-EU country to another, further extending European migration policy beyond the bloc’s borders”
SupportedThe proposed rules would let Frontex transfer migrants between non-EU countries.Euronews: “Under new rules, the EU border agency will be allowed to transfer migrants between third countries”
SupportedThe rules would allow Frontex to assist with deportations from return hubs.Euronews: “Frontex officials will also be allowed to take part in deportations from return hubs”
Partly supportedThe Commission will propose the new powers on Tuesday, according to several EU officials who spoke anonymously to Euronews.Euronews: “The reforms, which the European Commission will unveil on Tuesday, will give Frontex greater operational powers outside EU territory”
SupportedAn EU official said: “The more people you return before [they reach Europe], the less you have to return after.”Euronews: ““The more people you return before [they reach Europe], the less you have to return after,” an EU official told Euronews.”
Partly supportedFrontex is currently restricted to assisting national authorities with returns and patrolling the EU’s external borders.Euronews: “Frontex officials can currently assist national authorities in returning irregular migrants from EU countries to their countries of origin, as well as patrol the bloc’s external borders and coastlines.”
SupportedFrontex would be able to support third-country authorities, including in North Africa, in returning Central African citizens before they try to reach Europe.Euronews: “Under the new rules, the Warsaw-based agency will also be able to support authorities in third countries, such as North African governments, in returning Central African citizens to their countries of origin before they even attempt to reach European shores.”
Partly supportedMigrants hosted in return hubs whose asylum claims have been rejected would ultimately be returned to their countries of origin.Euronews: “Migrants whose asylum applications or right to remain in the EU have been rejected and who are hosted in these hubs are ultimately expected to be returned to their countries of origin.”
Partly supportedJosephine Solanki said: “It's no longer only an agency supporting EU countries at their borders. It's a deportation agency, increasingly operating far away from the actual border of the EU.”Euronews: ““It's no longer only an agency supporting EU countries at their borders. [...] It's a deportation agency, increasingly operating far away from the actual border of the EU,” Josephine Solanki, a researcher from the Amsterdam-based think tank Transnational Institute, said in a press briefing ahead of the reform.”
Partly supportedCivil society organisations reacted with concern to the reform.Euronews: “Several NGOs and civil society organisations are demanding that any expansion of Frontex's mandate be accompanied by stronger oversight and accountability mechanisms to safeguard migrants' fundamental rights.”
SupportedThe reform responds to the mass entry into Ceuta last July, when around 90,000 people crossed the border from Morocco.Euronews: “The aim is to avoid situations such as the mass entry into Ceuta last July, when around 90,000 migrants forced their way across the border between Morocco and the Spanish exclave.”
Partly supportedThe Commission is expected to allocate €12 billion to Frontex under the next seven-year EU budget, doubling its previous allocation.Euronews: “Frontex is also set to receive €12 billion under the EU’s next seven-year budget, doubling its previous allocation.”