EU approves new border and coast guard force

BRUSSELS

The European Council on Wednesday approved the creation of a new border and coast guard agency to build on Frontex, the current EU-wide border force.

The Council gave its final approval to the European Border and Coast Guard, to begin its activities in mid-October, a press release said.

"The main role of the European Border and Coast Guard is to help provide integrated border management at the external borders. It will ensure the effective management of migration flows and provide a high level of security for the EU.

"At the same time it will help safeguard free movement within the EU and respect fully fundamental rights," the statement said.

The new force will "consist of a European Border and Coast guard agency (the current Frontex agency with expanded tasks) and those national authorities responsible for border management."

It will also establish "an operational strategy for border management and the coordination of assistance from all member states."

Plans for the new border agency were unveiled in December 2015 in the wake of the refugee crisis and the security implications of the Paris attacks.

*Reporting by Ata Ufuk Seker; Writing by Servet Gunerigok