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Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri met Liaison Officers from Member States

Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri met Liaison Officers from Member States (MS LOs) deployed to the agency. During the meeting, Executive Director presented the latest developments in the agency. Together with the Director of International and European Cooperation Division, Head of Liaison Officers Networks Unit, and other colleagues from Liaison Officers Networks Unit, they discussed the experiences, current issues of Liaison Officers, as well as further developments and deployments. In the future, the meetings between Executive Director Leggeri and MS LOs will take place biannually.

Last year, Frontex Liaison Officers Networks Unit (LOU) shared the news about the official launch of a one-year-long Pilot Phase of Member States Liaison Officers’ deployment to Frontex HQ. The Pilot Phase officially started in June 2021 with the deployment of two Liaison Officers from Italy. They were followed by the Liaison Officers from France, Germany, Spain (in July 2021), and Greece (August 2021). Liaison Officers from Slovakia and Switzerland – the first Schengen Associated Country (SAC) in this project – joined in January 2022. The participation of greater number of countries and Liaison Officers may follow the Pilot Phase, in accordance with Frontex regulation.

“Although a pilot project, this initiative is already proving to be of added value, and it further strengthens the communication channels between the Member States, SAC, and Frontex” – says Executive Director Leggeri.

The network of Liaison Officers deployed from and to Frontex, Member States, and SAC is being created to enhance the cooperation between the agency and the national authorities responsible for border management, returns and coast guard functions.