Strengthening the EU's external borders
The EU and its member states are working on concrete measures to safeguard Europe's security and reinforce the EU's external borders.
European Border and Coast Guard Agency
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (usually referred to as Frontex) was launched in October 2016 following the EU leaders' call to strengthen controls at external borders in September 2015.
The agency was previously known as the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders. Its name was changed to reflect its broader mandate.
The agency closely monitors the EU's external borders. It also works together with member states to quickly identify and address any security threats to the external borders.
The European Border and Coast Guard helps to:
- manage migration more effectively
- improve the EU's internal security
- protect the principle of free movement of people
In November 2019, the EU adopted a regulation to reinforce the role of the agency. Known as the Frontex regulation, it provides for:
- integrated management of the borders
- a greater role for the agency in dealing with returns
- the creation of a standing corps with 6 500 staff by 2021 and 10 000 staff by 2027
Cooperation with third countries
Border management: agreements with non-EU countries
* The map is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
Status agreements have so far been negotiated with the following countries and are currently in force or pending signature:
- Albania (new enhanced agreement signed)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (new enhanced agreement under negotiation)
- Moldova (agreement in force as of 1 November 2022)
- Montenegro (new enhanced agreement signed, provisionally applied as of 1 July 2023)
- Republic of North Macedonia (agreement in force as of 1 April 2023)
- Serbia (agreement in force as of 1 May 2021 and new enhanced agreement under negotiation)
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency can carry out deployments and joint operations on the territory of neighbouring countries, subject to the prior conclusion of a status agreement between the European Union and the country concerned.
Cooperation with third countries is an important element of the European integrated border management concept.
To date, status agreements have been negotiated with the following countries and are currently in force or pending signature:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
The status agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia are currently being renegotiated in order to make full use of Frontex’s reinforced role under the 2019 Frontex regulation.
Negotiations have started with a view to concluding status agreements with Mauritania and Senegal.
- Border management: EU concludes agreement with North Macedonia on Frontex cooperation (press release, 24 February 2023)
- Border management: Council authorises the opening of negotiations with four Western Balkans partners on Frontex cooperation (press release, 18 November 2022)
- Moldova: Council adopts decision to sign agreement for Frontex operational support (press release, 17 March 2022)
- Council will sign agreement with Montenegro on Frontex cooperation (press release, 15 May 2023)
- Council will sign agreement with Albania on Frontex cooperation (press release, 8 September 2023)
- Serbia: Council gives green light to signing of Frontex cooperation agreement (press release, 30 May 2024)
Schengen information system
The Schengen information system (SIS) helps preserve internal security in the Schengen countries in the absence of internal border controls.
Law enforcement authorities across the EU use the Schengen information system (SIS) to enter or consult alerts about wanted or missing people and objects. The system contains nearly 86.5 million alerts and authorities consulted it almost 35 million times a day in 2022.
The SIS also provides instructions to authorities on how to react when a person or object is found, such as:
- arresting a wanted person
- protecting a vulnerable missing person
- seizing an illegal or stolen object
In November 2018, the EU adopted new rules to upgrade the Schengen Information System.
The upgraded version became operational in March 2023 and includes:
- new categories of alerts
- biometrics such as palm prints
- fingermarks
- DNA records for missing persons
Visa information system
The visa information system (VIS) is a database designed to facilitate the short-stay visa procedure. It helps visa, border, asylum and migration authorities to check third-country nationals who need a short-stay visa to travel to the Schengen area.
Since 2011, authorities have been able to use the VIS to perform biometric matching to identify people and prevent identity theft and fraud.
In May 2021, the EU updated the VIS regulation, in response to changing migration and security challenges. The new rules:
- further strengthen the security of the short-stay visa procedure
- include long-stay visas and residence permits in the same database
- ensure interoperability between the VIS and other relevant EU systems and databases
Entry/exit system
The Council adopted a regulation for an entry/exit system (EES) in November 2017.
In May 2025 the Council and the European Parliament agreed on a provisional deal that allows member states to gradually introduce the entry/exit digital border management system (EES) over a period of six months.
The system will register information on the entry, exit and refusal of entry of non-EU nationals crossing the external borders of the Schengen area.
The gradual introduction of EES will allow member states to benefit from the system while giving border authorities and the transport industry time to adjust. The regulation takes the diverse needs of member states into account.
The new system will be built by member states, together with eu-LISA (the EU agency responsible for large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice) and in cooperation with the European Commission and Frontex.
The entry/exit system will help:
- reduce border check delays and improve the quality of border checks by automatically calculating the authorised stay of each traveller
- ensure systematic and reliable identification of overstayers
- strengthen internal security and the fight against terrorism and other serious crime by allowing law enforcement authorities access to travel history records
- Border management: Council and European Parliament strike agreement about progressive launch of Entry/Exit system (press release, 19 May 2025)
- Council establishes position for the progressive launch of a new digital border management system (press release, 5 March 2025)
- Entry-exit system: final adoption by the Council (press release, 20 November 2017)
- Entry/exit system (eu-LISA)
European travel information and authorisation system
The Council adopted the regulation establishing the European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS) in September 2018. This IT system will be used to carry out advance checks on visa-exempt travellers and deny them travel authorisation if necessary.
It will be similar to existing systems in place in the US, Canada and Australia, among others, and it will bring several benefits, such as:
- improved internal security
- better prevention of illegal immigration
- reduced public health risks and delays at borders
ETIAS will be developed by eu-LISA, which is the EU agency that manages the large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice.
ETIAS will start operations in the last quarter of 2026.
Last review: 6 March 2025