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    • Frontex sends first liaison officer to EU Member State

    2018-08-31

    Today, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency introduces its first liaison officer to an EU Member State to enhance the cooperation between the agency and national authorities responsible for border management, returns and coast guard functions.

    The first liaison officer will work in Bulgaria. Today she was presented to the national authorities by Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.

    “One of the increasingly important responsibilities of our agency is to contribute to the strengthening of EU’s internal security, which requires an ever stronger cooperation between Frontex and EU Member States. Our liaison officers play a central role in this task,” said Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.

    Frontex will deploy 11 liaison officers to Member States. They will be posted in various EU Member States, often covering a cluster of neighbouring countries.


    Their responsibilities include:

    • contributing to risk analysis, monitoring and reporting on the measures taken by the respective Member States at their border sections, including in situations requiring urgent action at the external borders,
    • assisting the Member States in preparing contingency plans concerning border management and
    • reporting on the situation at the external borders as well as on the capacity of Member States to deal effectively with the situation there and execution of return and pre-return activities,
    • supporting the collection of information on irregular migration and cross-border crime.

    The liaison officers also play a crucial role in the vulnerability assessment conducted by Frontex by collecting relevant information and data. Frontex carries out annual vulnerability assessments of EU Member States’ and Schengen Associated Countries’ preparedness to face threats and challenges at their external borders. The vulnerability assessment is an important part of the agency’s mission to improve the internal security of the European Union and safeguard the principle of free movement of persons within the Schengen Area.