MEP Jorge Buxadé Villalba (PfE) has asked the European Commission whether it is aware of and plans to address restrictions on Frontex sharing intelligence from migrant interviews with Member State police authorities, citing a reported EDPS ruling that such sharing may breach the agency's founding regulation. The question, submitted on 15 April 2026, targets a potential gap in the fight against illegal immigration and criminal networks, with implications for national law enforcement, Frontex, the EDPS, and EU border security policy.
The written question (E-001559/2026) notes that Frontex has around 3,400 deployed officers who interview newly arrived irregular migrants, gathering information on transit routes and smugglers. According to the MEP, the agency has told Euractiv that it faces serious obstacles in passing this data to police, as the European Data Protection Supervisor has determined that such sharing would violate the Frontex Regulation. Buxadé Villalba warns that this limitation could undermine the effectiveness of returns and anti-smuggling efforts, especially as the EU's screening regulation (2024/1356) comes into force.
first, whether the Commission is aware of the problem; second, whether it is preparing an urgent amendment to the Frontex Regulation to enable data flow; and third, whether Commission services are in contact with national authorities and Interpol to assess initiatives for effective enforcement. The question does not propose specific numerical targets or deadlines but calls for legislative action to resolve the data-sharing bottleneck.
The MEP advocates for stronger operational cooperation between EU border agency and national police, prioritising security and enforcement over data protection restrictions. This reflects a tension between security and privacy, specifically between enabling intelligence-led policing and safeguarding personal data under EU law.
The Commission must reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the EDPS interpretation as binding or whether it plans legislative changes to expand Frontex's data-sharing mandate, potentially reopening debates on the agency's powers and data protection safeguards.