Frontex status agreements with non-EU countries

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement between the EU and Moldova on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Moldova

Decision (EU) 2022/449 on the signing, on behalf of the EU, and provisional application of the Agreement between the EU and Moldova on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Moldova

Decision (EU) 2022/544 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the EU and Moldova on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Moldova

Agreement between the EU and North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in North Macedonia

Decision (EU) 2022/1958 on the signing, on behalf of the EU, of the Agreement between the EU and North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in North Macedonia

Decision (EU) 2023/418 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the EU and North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in North Macedonia

Agreement between the EU and Montenegro on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Montenegro

Decision (EU) 2023/1040 on the signing, on behalf of the EU, and provisional application of the Agreement between the EU and Montenegro on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Montenegro

Decision (EU) 2023/2760 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the EU and Montenegro on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Montenegro

Agreement between the EU and Albania on actions carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Albania

Council Decision (EU) 2023/2105 on the signing and provisional application of the Agreement between the EU and Albania on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Albania

Decision (EU) 2024/1169 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the EU and Albania on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Albania

Agreement between the EU and Serbia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Serbia

Decision (EU) 2024/1639 on the signing, on behalf of the EU, of the Agreement between the EU and Serbia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Serbia

Decision (EU) 2025/479 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the EU and Serbia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Serbia

Agreement between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Decision (EU) 2025/1348 on the signing, on behalf of the EU, and provisional application of the Agreement between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENTS AND DECISIONS?

KEY POINTS

The relevant non-EU country may request that Frontex’s executive director launch an operational activity on its territory, which would entail the deployment of border management teams from the standing corps with executive powers. Staff deployed by Frontex under a status agreement remain, at all times, under the command and control of the authorities of the host country.

Operational activities

Border management teams

The members of a border management team:

Fundamental rights obligations

Suspension or termination of an operational activity under a status agreement

Frontex’s executive director must withdraw financing from, suspend or terminate an activity in cases where, among other things, an operational plan is not being properly implemented, or the executive director considers that serious violations of fundamental rights or international protection obligations related to the activity concerned exist or are likely to persist. The non-EU country may request the termination of an activity under the status agreement or unilaterally suspend or terminate the agreement (and thus any activity thereunder).

Termination

Either party may suspend or terminate the agreement in writing.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

Agreements based on Frontex’s current (2019) mandate (under Regulation (EU) 2019/1896):

Country Entry into force Provisional application
Albania
Montenegro
Serbia n/a*
Moldova
North Macedonia n/a*
Bosnia and Herzegovina TBD

* These agreements do not provide for provisional application.

KEY TERMS

  1. Joint operation. An initiative to tackle irregular migration or cross-border crime, or provide technical and operational assistance at the borders of the country concerned with a Member State.
  2. Rapid border intervention. An initiative responding quickly to specific and disproportionate challenges on the borders of the country concerned with a Member State.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Moldova (OJ L 91, , pp. 4–21).

Council Decision (EU) 2022/449 of on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Moldova (OJ L 91, , pp. 1–3).

Council Decision (EU) 2022/544 of on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Moldova (OJ L 107, , pp. 16–17).

Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (OJ L 61, , pp. 3–19).

Council Decision (EU) 2022/1958 of on the signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (OJ L 270, , pp. 1–3).

Council Decision (EU) 2023/418 of on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia (OJ L 61, , pp. 1–2).

Agreement between the European Union and Montenegro on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Montenegro (OJ L 140, , pp. 4–21).

Council Decision (EU) 2023/1040 of on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and Montenegro on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Montenegro (OJ L 140, , pp. 1–3).

Council Decision (EU) 2023/2760 of on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Montenegro on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Montenegro (OJ L, 2023/2760, ).

Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Albania on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania (OJ L, 2023/2107, ).

Council Decision (EU) 2023/2105 of on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Albania on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania (OJ L, 2023/2105, ).

Council Decision (EU) 2024/1169 of on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Albania on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Albania (OJ L, 2024/1169, ).

Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Serbia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Serbia (OJ L, 2025/480, ).

Council Decision (EU) 2024/1639 of on the signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Serbia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Serbia (OJ L, 2024/1639, ).

Council Decision (EU) 2025/479 of on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Serbia on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of Serbia (OJ L, 2025/479, ).

Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OJ L, 2025/1346, ).

Council Decision (EU) 2025/1348 of on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OJ L, 2025/1348, ).

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