Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has published the European Border Surveillance Reference Architecture, a blueprint designed to help Europe’s border systems connect more easily, share information where it is needed and deliver greater value from surveillance investments at the border and in pre-frontier areas.
Border and coast guards across the European Union face fast-changing risks and challenges. Criminal networks adapt their methods quickly, technology advances at speed, and evolving regulations shape how operations are carried out. The new reference architecture provides the Agency and Member States with a common foundation to address these challenges together.
The publication begins with an overview of today’s border surveillance in the European Union, its strengths, gaps and limits, before examining regulatory drivers and evolving security threats, and reviewing systems used in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. It also highlights technology trends shaping border surveillance, from sensors to data management.
Drawing on this analysis, Frontex teams defined a consolidated set of user requirements. These were translated into operational capabilities describing the functions needed to strengthen monitoring of borders and pre-frontier areas, and into building blocks that can be combined to design or upgrade systems. The result is a practical framework that supports interoperability, re-use and modernisation across Europe.
The report is complemented by two annexes. The first presents insights from industry and operational experts, capturing lessons learned from real deployments — what worked, what did not, and why. The second sets out a taxonomy of system components, offering a common language for planners, engineers and operators to simplify cooperation.
The reference architecture is designed for use across the full lifecycle of border-surveillance systems. In operations, it can be used to check how existing tools meet required capabilities and identify where improvements are needed. In planning, it helps guide investment decisions and ensures systems work well together. In procurement, it supports clearer specifications by providing shared requirements and definitions. And in daily work, it gives officials a clear view of how local systems fit into the wider European picture.
Importantly, the reference architecture is not fixed. It will evolve over time as technologies, threats and operational concepts change. By working from the same foundation, the Agency and Member States can harmonise where it counts, modernise more efficiently and respond more coherently to emerging challenges.
The European Border Surveillance Reference Architecture was developed jointly by the Agency’s Engineering and Acquisition Unit, Research and Innovation Unit, EUROSUR (European Border Surveillance System) Fusion Services/Fusion Unit, and Service Management Sector/Frontex Operations Centre. This combined expertise ensures the framework reflects real operational needs while keeping a close eye on future developments.
Availability — The publication, including annexes, is available on the Frontex website.