EU to expand Frontex with bigger budget and new deportation powers

The European Commission will implement a major reform of Frontex on 27 October, aiming to give the Warsaw-based agency a more prominent role in deportations and crisis management. Funding proposals call for a €12 billion budget spread across seven years, part of broader EU budget negotiations. The commission intends to expand the agency's standing corps, establish a European Border and Return Reserve for rapid deployment, and set up a Return Coordination Centre to speed up returns, including from third countries.

It also plans to enhance social-media monitoring and increase data-sharing capabilities with Europol. Although the European People’s Party advocated expanding the force to 30,000 personnel, the commission only committed to a "substantial increase" without a precise target, noting recruitment challenges. Frontex currently employs roughly 1,250 officers directly, supplemented by national staff on temporary assignments.