MEP Özlem Demirel (The Left) has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission challenging Frontex's participation in a Finnish border guard exercise that trialled pushbacks and use of force against asylum seekers. The question, filed on 21 April 2026, targets the agency's involvement in an operation that critics say undermines the fundamental right to asylum and the principle of non-refoulement.
The exercise, conducted in March 2026 at three closed border crossings with Russia, was a four-day training event by the Finnish Border Guard. It tested a new national border protection law that empowers authorities to push back asylum seekers and use force under certain conditions. For the first time, the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) also took part. According to Frontex's own statements, the agency performed mobile surveillance, weapons and document checks, and secured transports.
Demirel's question contains three concrete asks. First, she requests the Commission to assess the exercise's compatibility with EU asylum law and the non-refoulement principle. Second, she demands an explanation for Frontex's participation in an exercise explicitly designed to trial pushbacks and force. Third, she seeks a breakdown of the contingents: the percentage shares of Frontex, EUROGENDFOR, and Finnish and Estonian officials involved.
The question signals a policy orientation critical of the Commission's and Frontex's approach to external border management, which the MEP argues prioritises deterrence over legal obligations. It reflects a cleavage between fundamental rights protection and national security measures, with potential impacts on asylum seekers' access to protection, Frontex's operational mandate, and the credibility of EU border governance.
Under Parliament rules, the Commission must reply within approximately six weeks. The answer will indicate whether the executive endorses or distances itself from Frontex's role in such exercises, and may clarify the legal limits of agency participation in national pushback operations.
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