First Frontex agents start work at Belgian airport

The Belgian government gave the green light in April for a Royal Decree from Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin that allows Frontex agents to actively operate on Belgian territory. Following this, Belgium officially requested Frontex to send return facilitators in July.

The eight agents have been in the country since last week and are now also working at the national airport. They will always collaborate with a colleague from the Belgian aviation police. This expands the pool of return facilitators. It is intended to increase the pace of return operations.

The Royal Decree also allows agents from the European agency to assist with checks at the airport and at other external borders. “We are in discussions with Frontex to provide additional support in the area of border control as well. We will continue to focus on this in the coming months,” concludes Quintin in a press release.

Frontex was established in 2004 at the proposal of the European Commission to assist member states in monitoring the European external borders. The agency’s headquarters is in Warsaw.