MEPs fear fundamental rights will take a hit under plans to expand EU border agency

The European Parliament is pushing back against plans to expand Frontex’s mandate, with MEPs warning that fundamental rights protections could be weakened as the EU border agency takes on a broader role. Under the proposed new mandate, Frontex would be permitted to support deportations to and from so-called return hubs, according to the commissioner overseeing the file. The dispute matters because it tests how far the EU is willing to extend the agency’s operational reach beyond border management and into the removal of migrants. Watch for parliamentary negotiations over rights safeguards and the scope of Frontex’s involvement in return operations as the mandate is finalized.