On 8 February, EASO and Frontex management board members for the first time held a joint session in which they discussed cooperation between EU agencies in hotspots in Greece and Italy, the exchange of data and analysis on migration to the EU and future cooperation in light of proposals by the European Commission to substantially increase the role and responsibilities of the two agencies, as well as to revise the European asylum acquis and EU legislation governing border security and migration management. 

The Executive Directors of both Agencies also signed the EASO-Frontex Cooperation Plan for 2017-2018. It foresees concrete cooperation initiatives in the fields of joint operations, information exchange and training, as well as discussions on more harmonised procedures and administrative practices. The Cooperation Plan complements the existing Bilateral Working Arrangement signed in 2012.

The meeting was addressed by Director General Ruete of DG Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship and Maltese Minister Carmelo Abela, representing the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Chair of the EASO Management Board, Wolfgang Taucher called the joint session "an important meeting which represents just the start of increased cooperation between the agencies.” Frontex Chair, Marko Gasperlin said that “this meeting shows how closely both agencies work on border and migration management issues in these challenging times.”

For the past year and a half, both agencies have been assisting the Italian and Greek authorities in the hotspots and cooperated to provide a full situational picture about migratory flows on two main routes into the European Union in order to help the authorities be better prepared to manage them.

Any further information on EASO may be obtained by contacting EASO on the following e-mail address: info@easo.europa.eu  and on Frontex by contacting press@frontex.europa.eu
 

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