Crisis-driven EU policy in recent years fits within a securitisation narrative, in which the claim of public security threat outweighs fundamental rights and their accountability safeguards. Under this policy development, Frontex, the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency, has experienced an impressive expansion in its powers and competences, without the equivalent enhancement of accountability safeguards. This article, published in the Utrecht Law Review, focuses in particular on the issue of transparency as a fundamental right and an element of social and political accountability.
A blog by Columba Achilleos-Sarll, Julia Sachseder and Saskia Stachowitsch for the London School of Economics (LSE).
By Zoran Nechev and Florian Trauner for Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis-Skopje and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
On 27 April, Frontex presented a tentative timeline in view of the establishment of the controversial Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights which comes as a result of negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament in November 2011. While European borders remain some of the most dangerous in the world, details of the establishment process of this new body confirm the pre-eminence of the Management Board and Member States in the functioning of Frontex, and the marginalisation of any democratic oversight and independent monitoring mechanism.
Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.