Federation of Young European Greens

With the extension of the FRONTEX mandate the EU is moving even more towards an inhumane migration policy.

In September the European Parliament voted in favour of an extended mandate for the European agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX). FRONTEX  itself already symbolizes a  disrespect towards  basic human rights and the extension of the agency's  mandate keeps European migration policy moving in the wrong direction.

Facing the current critical and dangerous situation in the North African Region, many people feel impelled to flee from their home countries.The Refugees incur lots of struggles, driven by the plain hope of a better and peaceful life in Europe. The freedom to leave one's country and to choose another place of residence is a Human Right and the European Union, if truly dedicated to these values, is obliged to show solidarity with those in need.

The reform includes a fundamental rights officer and a consultative forum on  fundamental rights, but these are not independent from the staff of the agency and therefore don't allow an effective control of  FRONTEX activities and its compliance with Human Rights. Basic flaws in the construction of the agency are not removed and there remains a clear lack of both accountability and proper democratic control. There are no  provisions on how to legally pursue people involved in breaches of Human  Rights. Moreover FRONTEX is now enabled to buy or rent its own equipment and act  independently from democratically elected governments of member states or the European parliament, eventhough the structure is entirely financed by EU member states.  The rhetorical commitment to respect the „non-refoulment“ principle  and  to develop a code of conduct is mere lip service – it hasn't been   respected so far and without mechanisms to punish violations this is unlikely to change.

The EU has to stop causing thousands of innocent people's death at its borders. It is unbearable, that FRONTEX is now able to unilaterally conclude  agreements with third countries, regardless of the level of Human Rights protection in these countries and without any decisive influence from the European  Parliament.

From a wider perspective, FRONTEX as an agency is not a viable way of meeting the challenges of global migratory flows and the needs of migrants and refugees. With FRONTEX the EU is  openly acting against its own declared values.  The initial goal of reaching an integrated approch to immigrations and  asylum policies is still not achieved.Instead we are turning the  continent into a fortress while exploiting  the cheap labour force of  vulnerable „illegal migrants“, who enter. This is a cruel  antithesis to  an open and human Europe.

We therefore urge the Members of the European Parliament to rethink the underlying principles of FRONTEX and to support in the future a migration policy which is respecting the fundamental Human Rights of all and a vision of a solidary and inclusive Europe. We - as organisations which fight for the rights of everyone in need - regardless of origin -  ask the elected MEP's to work for limiting FRONTEX' sphere of activity  and subjecting it to strict Human Rights compliance.