Disinterest ‘endangers Frontex’

A lack of commitment from member states to provide assets to the EU border agency could jeopar-dise its missions, the agency's director has said.

Ilkka Laitinen also said the lack of experts at Frontex's disposal caused difficulties as the agency faced its first major missions.

"One problem is the commitment and willing-ness of member states to provide Frontex assets," said Laitinen, adding that ships, helicopters and experts were most needed.

Since it became operational in October, Frontex has been tasked with heading up missions to help Spain and Malta deal with a sudden influx of immigrants. One operation, which is to begin shortly, involves co-ordinating experts deployed to help with identification of newly arrived immigrants. A separate mission involves patrolling waters and skies along routes where boats of immigrants travel towards EU states.

Frontex does not have its own equipment or experts. It is co-ordinating what member states have offered in response to these problems and managing the operations on the ground. A six-week mission to patrol the seas around Spain's Canary Islands in August and September, will involve Spain, Italy, France and Germany. Two six-week missions around Malta beginning next month will involve Malta, Italy and Greece.

Frontex, which has a budget this year of €12.4 million, received a cash injection this week at a meeting of justice ministers of €3.4m to help towards the cost of the missions in Spain.

Last week Franco Frattini, the commissioner for justice, freedom and security, announced plans for a permanent pool of 250-300 experts to intervene quickly when countries are faced with sudden influxes of immigrants. But while Frattini stressed that experts would help with translating and first aid, Laitinen said those involved in the missions would focus on border controls. "If you take a look at the functions of Frontex...the main

core are the border guards who are experts in one sector of these field, for identification, using technology and travel documents," he said.

A lack of commitment from member states to provide assets to the EU border agency could jeopar-dise its missions, the agency's director has said.