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Frontex director Fabrice Leggeri
Photo: Tatiana Bolari / imago images / ANE Edition
In an investigation, the European Court of Auditors found significant shortcomings in the work of the European border protection agency Frontex.
The agency is not doing its job completely and is not effective enough, according to a special report published on Monday afternoon.
Frontex plays an essential role in the control of the EU's external borders, said the responsible member of the European Court of Auditors, Leo Brincat.
"This mandate is currently not being effectively fulfilled by Frontex." The misconduct is so great that one can begin to doubt the agency's raison d'etre.
Frontex has grown rapidly in recent years and has gained more power at the same time.
In 2005 the agency's budget was a good six million euros, and it should soon have 900 million euros a year at its disposal.
Frontex will also send its own forces to Europe's external borders.
This so-called permanent reserve, the EU's first own border guards, consists of 10,000 police officers.
It is the prestige project of the border protection agency.
"Frontex has taken over"
"Frontex has taken over," says Brincat.
The agency grew too quickly.
They do not sufficiently evaluate their own performance and the joint operations with EU member states.
The exchange of information with the EU countries does not work.
The agency's data on migration to Europe are not complete.
Brincat continued to criticize that the agency does not make a sufficient contribution to the fight against cross-border crime and is not transparent enough.
Among other things, the agency does not provide any information on the actual costs of its operations.
The agency is often "its own greatest enemy," according to Brincat.
It is unclear whether Frontex can successfully carry out large projects such as building the standing reserve.
Before Frontex can take on further tasks, the agency must make improvements.
Frontex is sliding from one affair to the next
In the spring, SPIEGEL and other research partners reported on the management chaos at Frontex.
Officials described numerous problems with the establishment of the standing reserve to the investigators.
They lacked company cars, the officers had to rent expensive SUVs and sometimes pay for the gas themselves.
Expenses were not reimbursed, parts of the new uniforms were missing - they had to be bought by the police themselves.
more on the subject
Europe's border guards and their scandals: The Frontex files by Giorgos Christides, Klaas van Dijken, Steffen Lüdke and Maximilian Popp
New documents weigh on the boss of the border protection agency: How Frontex wants to cover up the pushback scandalBy Giorgos Christides, Steffen Lüdke and Maximilian Popp
After SPIEGEL revelations: SPD demands a new beginning without Leggeri by Giorgos Christides, Steffen Lüdke and Maximilian Popp
Under the French director Fabrice Leggeri, the agency slides from one affair to the next.
In January it became known that the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) had opened proceedings against Frontex.
The investigation concerns a possible case of fraud in connection with a service provider, whether Leggeri or a confidante are bullying employees - and the question of whether information has been withheld from the agency's fundamental rights officer.
Internal documents that SPIEGEL was able to see suggest that Leggeri's entire management style is being scrutinized.
Last autumn, SPIEGEL and international media partners revealed that Frontex forces are involved in so-called illegal pushbacks. In the Aegean Sea, Greek border officials stop boats at gunpoint and simply expose asylum seekers to the sea. Frontex officials know about it and hand over the boats to the Greeks. Leggeri himself hides the breaches of law.
The agency's work in the central Mediterranean is also controversial.
There Frontex - contrary to the claims of its director - works closely with the Libyan coast guard.
This intercepts refugee boats and tows them back to Libya.
Refugees are locked up, tortured, blackmailed and sometimes killed there.
Research by SPIEGEL and its research partners shows that Frontex is apparently systematically directing the Libyan operations.
"That is not acceptable for an EU agency."
Since the revelations, a Europe-wide discussion about the control of the border agency has flared up.
The European Parliament is currently working on an investigation report, and a large number of MPs are calling for Leggeri's resignation.
The report by the Court of Auditors raises the question of whether MEPs should agree to further budget increases, said the Green politician Erik Marquardt to SPIEGEL.
At Frontex, “the bigger the better” has been the rule for far too long.
"Apparently billions have been made available without looking at where the money can be used efficiently and how great the need is." At Frontex there is a lack of transparency, taxes are wasted and human rights are violated.
"That is not acceptable for an EU agency."
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