Frontex Set for Powers to Carry Out Returns Beyond EU Borders in Major Overhaul

The European Commission in Brussels will unveil a sweeping overhaul of the EU border agency Frontex on October 27, turning it into a fully-fledged “European return agency,” according to two EU officials familiar with the proposal.

The legislative proposal will revamp the mandate of the Warsaw-based agency. It will focus on three key areas: strengthening its role in deportations, improving its ability to anticipate and respond to border crises, and boosting its operational capacity without poaching border guards from member countries.

At the heart of the reform is an ambition to give Frontex a much more prominent role in returning people with no legal right to remain in the EU. The officials said this would include new powers to carry out return operations beyond the bloc's territory, including transfers between third countries.

The push comes just months after EU lawmakers approved a new “return regulation” aimed at accelerating deportations and allowing member countries to establish controversial deportation hubs outside the EU.

With the legal framework largely agreed, Brussels is now turning its attention to enforcement — and to the agency expected to help make the new rules work in practice.

Political pressure had also been mounting. In June, the leaders of 19 EU countries urged the Commission to support the establishment of return hubs outside the bloc, including through EU funding.

The proposed Frontex overhaul is on the College of Commissioners' agenda and is expected to be approved by the EU executive on October 27. If approved, it would give the agency more resources, greater operational flexibility and an expanded role in carrying out returns beyond EU borders.

But deportations are only part of the equation. The Commission also wants to transform Frontex into a force that can intervene in border emergencies within 24 hours, according to the two officials.

That ambition stems partly from the lessons of the Ceuta migration crisis, which exposed gaps in Europe's ability to anticipate and respond to sudden pressure at its external borders. Brussels wants to ensure a similar crisis does not catch the EU off guard again.

Under the plans, Frontex would be given a stronger mandate to monitor potential flashpoints, particularly on social media, and to improve early warning capabilities and identify emerging threats before they escalate.

The agency would also be better equipped to respond swiftly once a crisis happens, with personnel and equipment available for deployment on short notice rather than relying exclusively on existing arrangements with national governments.

Another central question is how big Frontex should become. The agency had around 7,800 personnel in its Standing Corps in early 2026 and is working towards a target of 10,000 by 2027. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has previously called for tripling that figure to 30,000 European border and coast guards.

The Commission's proposal is expected to seek a compromise between the competing ambitions for expansion and the practical constraints facing national governments. Rather than relying entirely on a substantially larger permanent force, Brussels is considering a sizeable reserve that could be mobilised when needed.

That approach would address countries' concerns that an expanded EU-level force could pull their border guards away at a time when national authorities are already under pressure. It would allow Frontex to increase its deployable capacity while keeping more personnel available for national duties when they are not needed for European operations.

Beyond staffing, the two officials expect the Commission to put forward measures to give the agency better equipment and more agile operational procedures, particularly for deportations.

The reform is also likely to reopen debates over the agency's accountability and the human rights of migrants and asylum-seekers, especially as the EU moves towards more deportations to third countries. Frontex did not immediately respond to a request for comment.