Englisch 📕

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency is a European Union (EU) organisation that coordinates and develops border security for the entire Schengen Area.

The agency was founded in 2004 as the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at External Borders. Frontex is based in Warsaw, Poland.

Frontex stands for Frontières extérieures in French (“external borders”).

The budget for Frontex has increased significantly in recent years due to its important role. From €143 million in 2015 to over €922 million in 2024.

There are a number of different Frontex operations, including support at borders with a high influx of migrants, rapid response teams, sea rescue missions, training border control officers, analysis of migratory patterns and cross-border criminal activity, combat terrorism, smuggling, and human trafficking and managing the ETIAS Central Unit.

ETIAS is another measure to improve EU border security. It will be launched in 2026 and fully implemented after a grace period.

With the help of Frontex, ETIAS will screen visa-exempt travellers before they reach the EU.

The ETIAS Central Unit managed by Frontex will have several important functions, including:

• Verifying travel authorisation applications flagged due to a match in one of the security databases

• Sharing information on potential security risks with the ETIAS National Unit of the relevant member state

• Conducting audits on the processing of applications, in particular regarding privacy and data protection

• Checking data is stored correctly

• Informing the public about ETIAS

• Providing support to both travellers and carriers

The ETIAS Central Unit has trained the first group of operators to oversee the functioning of the ETIAS travel authorisation. Frontex plans to train another 200 ETIAS staff in the next 2 years.

To register for ETIAS, travellers will fill out the ETIAS application form online. Once approved, the travel authorisation is linked to the passport and can be verified when the passport is scanned at the external Schengen border.

To help protect EU external borders, a new system will be introduced to work with ETIAS — the Entry/Exit System (EES). This system will register the entry and exit of non-EU nationals who do not reside in the Schengen Area.

Frontex will support immigration staff in implementing the EES at border controls.

The European Border and Coast Guard standing corps were established in 2019, following a regulation to strengthen Frontex.

The EU’s first uniformed service, the standing corps are deployed to the different member states to assist and work under the command of the national authorities.

The Frontex standing corps may perform the following duties:

• Assist with border checks

• Assist with registration and fingerprinting of migrants

• Investigate and respond to illegal activities at the border, such as smuggling drugs or weapons

• Support the returns of individuals staying in the EU illegally

By 2027, Frontex aims to have 10,000 members of staff in the standing corps.

Frontex is currently coordinating 4 major operations at EU and Schengen borders, working closely with the national authorities of the member states involved:

• Operation Poseidon (Greece)

• Operation Minerva, Indalo (Spain)

• Operation Themis (Italy)

• Operations in the Western Balkans

These ongoing operations include assisting in border control and have the following aims:

• Seizure of drugs and weapons

• Identification of people smugglers

• Investigating criminal networks

• Combatting human trafficking

• Finding stolen vehicles

• Detecting illegal fishing

• Detecting fake documents

• Search and rescue at sea

There are measures in place to ensure Frontex meets its responsibilities regarding the protection of fundamental rights while carrying out its duties.

Frontex must adhere to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights.

All European Border and Coast Guard Agency employees receive training on fundamental human rights. Legislative procedures ensure full compliance.

BGO:

Performs border control, border surveillance, identity checks, patrols green and blue borders, prevents irregular border crossings.

CGO:

Maritime border surveillance, sea patrols, search and rescue support, vessel checks, migration control at sea borders.

ALDO:

Detects forged and counterfeit travel documents, conducts document checks, supports investigations on identity fraud.

RS:

Supports return operations, escorts returnees, coordinates deportation flights, ensures compliance with human rights standards.

SO:

Conducts screening interviews, detects identity, nationality and travel routes of migrants, collects informations.

DBR:

Carries out detailed interviews with migrants to gather strategic intelligence on smuggling networks and migration routes.

RO:

Registers migrants, takes fingerprints, photographs, enters data into EU databases (EURODAC, SIS, VIS).

TSO:

Coordinates Standing Corps deployment in the field, operational leadership, Connection between headquarters and field units.

FRM:

Monitors compliance with fundamental rights, investigates complaints, ensures human rights standards during operations.

REO:

Escorts deportees during return flights, ensures safety, security, human rights and properly of return operations.

Christianity originated in the 1st century AD and is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians believe in one God in the form of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The holy scripture is the Bible, which consists of the Old and the New Testament. The central belief is salvation through Jesus Christ. Christian worship takes place in churches, and Sunday is considered the holy day. Major religious festivals include Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. Today, Christianity has approximately 2.3 billion followers worldwide.

Islam originated in the 7th century AD and was founded by the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe in one God, called Allah, and follow the teachings of the Quran. The core belief of Islam is submission to the will of God. Muslims pray in mosques, and Friday is the main holy day. Important religious events include Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. The Five Pillars of Islam are Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj (the Profession of Faith, Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting, and Pilgrimage). They represent the core duties of every Muslim. Islam has around 2 billion followers worldwide, making it the second-largest religion in the world.

Judaism is the oldest of the three religions and originated around 2000 BC. It is based on the covenant between God and the people of Israel, represented by figures such as Abraham and Moses. Jews believe in one God and follow the Torah and the Tanakh as their holy scriptures. Jewish worship takes place in synagogues, and Saturday, the Sabbath, is the holy day of rest. Major religious festivals include Passover, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah. Today, Judaism has approximately 15 million followers worldwide.

I like to work with the riot police unit because of the full diversity of the Federal Police.

This unit is highly versatile and does not operate exclusively at borders, train stations, or airports. The work of these riot Police Units includes managing demonstrations, conducting residencial searches, executing arrest warrants, and providing support during border controls, football matches, and deportations.

Unfortunately, over the last 3,5 years I was only deployed at the german-austrian border and hope, that I will get the chance to gain experience of these main tasks here with the specialized company for international operations (IEE).

Additionally, I enjoy getting to know other countries and cultures, and I am pleased that the German Federal Police offers the chance to combine this interest with my career. It allows me to work abroad and gain important professional experience at the same time. I learn how other police forces work, what their areas of operation are, and what they focus on. At the same time, I can improve my language skills. My goal is to see how I can support other countries with my existing experience and specialized knowledge.

In my previous job, I carried a lot of responsibility on my own. I was responsible for a product range that had to be distributed to stores across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. What I missed in my last job was team spirit and support from colleagues. Everyone worked for themselves, and it was a constant state of competition. Additionally, I no longer had time to do sports. Because of this, I looked for a career that combines teamwork and physical activity, which is how I became interested in the German Federal Police.