November 18 (SeeNews) - The Council of the European Union said on Friday it has approved the opening of negotiations on upgraded Frontex status agreements with Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The new agreements will allow Frontex staff to exercise executive powers, such as border checks and registration of persons, at all borders, thus assist the countries in their efforts to manage migratory flows, counter illegal immigration and tackle crossborder crime throughout their territory, the Council said in a press release.
Under the existing status agreements with Albania, Serbia and Montenegro, deployment of the standing corps may only take place at the countries' borders with the EU and without exercising executive powers. Negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina were finalised in 2017 but the status agreement has not been signed yet.
Frontex concluded its status agreement with Albania in October 2018, with Montenegro in October 2019 and with Serbia in November 2019.
The European Commission in October adopted a recommendation to the Council to authorise the opening of negotiations of upgraded Frontex status agreements with the four countries.
Frontex is an agency of the European Union headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, tasked with border control of the European Schengen Area, in coordination with the border and coast guards of Schengen Area member states, according to its website.