The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) is governed by Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of 13 November 2019 on the European Border and Coast
Guard (OJ L 295,
14.11.2019, p. 1).
The above-mentioned regulation provides the Agency with a reinforced
mandate and increased competences compared to Regulation (EU) 2016/1624, such as the European Border and Coast Guard Standing
Corps (the EU’s first uniformed service).
The seat of Frontex is Warsaw, Poland, as laid down
in Article 93(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896. A Headquarters Agreement has been concluded
between Frontex and the Republic of Poland.
Regulation (EU) No 1052/2013 establishing the European Border Surveillance
System (EUROSUR), provides for “a common framework for the exchange of
information and for the cooperation between Member States and Frontex in order
to improve situational awareness and to increase reaction capability at the
external borders of the Member States of the Union (‘external borders’) for the
purpose of detecting, preventing and combating illegal immigration and
cross-border crime and contributing to ensuring the protection and saving the
lives of migrants (‘EUROSUR)”. The Eurosur Regulation has been repealed and
replaced by Regulation (EU) 2019/1896, which carries revised provisions on EUROSUR.
Regulation (EU) 656/2014 establishing rules for the surveillance of the
external sea borders in the context of operational cooperation coordinated by
Frontex also introduced changes to the mandate of the agency, namely in terms
of what concerns sea operations coordinated by Frontex. This Regulation was
fully integrated and referred to in Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 and now in Regulation (EU) 2019/1896.
Other relevant instruments are Regulation (EU) 2016/399 on a Union Code on the rules governing the
movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) and Directive 2008/115/EC on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning
illegally staying third-country nationals, also referred to in Regulation (EU)
2019/1896.
The former European Agency for the Management of
Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the
European Union had been established by Council Regulation (EC) 2007/2004 (26.10.2004, OJ L 349/25.11.2004).
This Regulation was firstly amended by the Regulation (EC) No 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of
11 July 2007 establishing a mechanism for the creation of Rapid Border
Intervention Teams and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 as regards
that mechanism and regulating the tasks and powers of guest officers.
It was also amended, inter alia, by the Regulation (EU) No 1168/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 25 October 2011 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 establishing
an European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the
External Borders of the Member States of the European Union.
These Regulations had been repealed by Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 of 14
September 2016 on the European Border and Coast Guard (OJ L 251, 16.9.2016, p.
1).
Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of 13 November 2019 on the European Border and Coast Guard (OJ L 295,
14.11.2019, p. 1) in turn repealed Regulations (EU) No 1052/2013 and (EU)
2016/1624.