Frontex is one of the EU’s most important security forces and also works closely with Italy to help the country manage its migration and border security.
This organisation plays a major part in policing the outer boundaries of the EU and will have a crucial role once ETIAS is launched in 2026.
To find out more about what Frontex does and how it works with Italy to ensure a safe and secure EU border read on below to learn:
- What Frontex does
- How Frontex is assisting in the rollout of ETIAS
- How Frontex supports Italy’s border management
What is Frontex?
Frontex is the EU’s border and coastguard agency. Since 2004 it has been tasked with coordinating and managing the bloc’s outer borders and has grown steadily in size and scale over the years.
It is the first uniformed force to be created and run by the EU and currently has over 1,000 members of staff working for it. This is planned to increase to 10,000 in total by 2027.
Frontex is fully funded by the EU and its member states and is integral to policing the borders of the Schengen Area. It will also be crucial once ETIAS visa waiver is launched across the region.
What are Frontex’s responsibilities
Frontex is a vital organisation to help the EU manage a unified response to border security and management. Working with its 27 member states, it provides many different types of support.
Amongst Frontex’s main responsibilities are the following tasks:
- Identifying migratory patterns
- Coordinating joint operations
- Supporting search and rescue activities
- Uncovering trends in cross-border criminal activity
- Providing border guards and equipment to member states
- Sharing information between different national border authorities
- Carrying out vulnerability assessments on EU border security
- Assessing the readiness of EU members to handle border emergencies
How Frontex will work alongside ETIAS
Once ETIAS is launched in 2026, travellers from third countries such as the UK, USA and Canada, will need a visa waiver before arriving in Italy. Frontex will be one of the organisations tasked with managing this data and security process.
They are to set up and manage the ETIAS Central Unit (ECU). This will provide support to carriers, passengers, and authorities in member states. This will be a crucial operation and will see Frontex providing the following support for the new system:
- Verifying travel authorisations
- Providing information to the public about ETIAS
- Defining and testing risk factors in the ETIAS screening process
- Reviewing the processing procedure for ETIAS applications
- Operating the Carriers Assistance Centre
- Ensuring data is correctly stored and up to date
ETIAS and the further development of Frontex are two key projects undertaken by the EU since 2016 to improve the security of the Schengen Area. Both will allow the bloc to effectively screen those entering the passport-free zone from third countries in advance.
This will help to achieve the EU’s goals of protecting against potential threats and cross border criminal activity within the region.
How does Frontex protect Italy’s borders?
Italy sits on the shores of the Mediterranean and as a result, the entire country’s coastline is an EU external border, in addition to its international airports. This makes Italy an especially important partner for Frontex in terms of managing migratory emergencies in Europe.
Frontex works closely with the Italian government on Operation Themis – a major joint operation taking place in the Mediterranean. This has been in action since 2018 and uses officers provided by the organization to assist the Italian authorities.
The main aims of Operation Themis include:
- Border control
- Seizing contraband
- Identifying people-smuggling rings
- Detecting fraudulent documents
- Operating search and rescue missions
- Registering and identifying migrants
- Collecting intelligence on criminal networks
- Preventing illegal fishing
- Reducing maritime pollution
Frontex is one of the most important forces safeguarding border security. This is true not only in Italy but across the whole of the European Union.
The organisation is set to grow over the coming years, making their uniformed officers a much more common sight when entering and exiting the EU.
