On听22 January 2026, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) agreed to strengthen cooperation to support EU Member States in managing migration- and asylum-related procedures at the EU’s external borders.
In practical terms, the cooperation will help national authorities with key steps,听including screening and registration; asylum and reception support; and, where a return decision has been taken, return-related support.
The strengthened cooperation is set out in a working arrangement, signed by Frontex Executive Director Hans听Leijtens听and EUAA Executive Director Nina Gregori, entering into force听immediately. It replaces the agencies’听previous听arrangement concluded in 2012 with the former European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and reflects both听agencies’听updated mandates and the way operational cooperation has evolved.
The agreement also comes ahead of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum applying from 12 June 2026. Frontex and the EUAA will work closely with national authorities on Pact-related implementation, including the Screening Regulation, to support consistent rollout of the new screening rules at the external borders.
The signing ceremony听took place in听Nicosia,听Cyprus,听during the country’s听Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It听was attended by听EU听Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, as well as Director General at DG Migration and Home Affairs,听Beate听Gminder.听The agreement can听be听accessed听in full听
Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of Frontex, said:
“Stronger cooperation means better support for Member States and a more coherent response at the borders. By bringing our work closer together with the EU Agency for Asylum, we can help national authorities manage the situation at the border more consistently, from screening to asylum and return, while fully respecting fundamental rights. This is about making the Pact work on the ground.”听
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Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the EUAA, said:
“The Pact will bring together the different strands of asylum and migration management, into a streamlined process. Our updated Working Arrangement with Frontex will further strengthen the cooperation between our agencies and help ensure that our respective mandates translate into the operational support and situational awareness that Member States need, to efficiently manage asylum and migration processes in the EU.”听
What this means in practice
Under the working arrangement, Frontex and the EUAA will strengthen cooperation in four main ways:
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1) More joined-up support on the ground听
When Member States ask for support, the two agencies will plan and coordinate deployments more closely so that screening and registration, asylum procedures, reception听support听and return-related steps are better connected. For example, Frontex teams may support border checks and registration while EUAA teams help organise asylum processing and reception support,听working to the same plan, alongside national authorities. This includes working through Migration Management Support Teams and other EU-coordinated support structures.
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2) A shared picture of what is happening at the borders听
The agencies will share information more systematically to help national authorities respond faster and more consistently. This includes cooperation through EUROSUR, which helps national authorities and EU bodies share border-related information and build a shared picture of developments at the external borders.
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3) Common analysis and practical听tools听
Frontex and the EUAA will develop and use shared products,听such as country and nationality profiles, guides,听workflows听and risk analyses,听to support more consistent approaches across Member States.
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4) Better preparation when systems are under pressure听
The agencies will exchange assessments of where border, asylum or reception systems are under strain; strengthen training, staff听exchanges听and liaison work; and support Member States in using key EU systems such as Eurodac, which supports registration and helps听determine听responsibility for asylum applications.听By planning together and strengthening contingency planning, the agencies aim to make EU support more coherent, avoid听duplication听and make best use of resources.
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Fundamental rights and safeguards
All activities carried out under the working arrangement will be conducted in full compliance with fundamental rights, including access to international protection;听the rule that no one should be sent back to a place where they would face persecution,听torture听or other serious harm;听and applicable data protection requirements. The arrangement does not change the legal responsibilities of national authorities for decisions taken under EU and national law.
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Background
Frontex听supports听EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries听in managing听the EU’s external borders and organising听returns. At a Member State’s request, Frontex can coordinate joint operations, deploy officers and equipment, and provide information and risk analysis to support decision-making. All Frontex activities are carried out in full respect of fundamental rights. Learn more about Frontex at听.
The EUAA supports Member States in applying European laws on asylum, international听protection听and reception, and works to harmonise national asylum practices so applicants can expect consistent rights,听obligations听and reception conditions across the EU. It delivers support through three pillars: training and professional development; operational and technical听assistance; and asylum knowledge products such as听country of origin听information, country guidance,听tools听and analysis. Learn more about EUAA at听.
Note:鈥疶his working arrangement is an administrative framework for cooperation. It does not create new legal rights or obligations under EU, national or international law.
(European Border and Coast Guard Agency)
