“The most important element of the new European Border and Coast Guard Agency is that it goes beyond what Frontex was able to do, but that we do not replace member states’ responsibilities and definitely not their sovereignty,” European Commissioner for Migration and Internal Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos said in the European Parliament Plenary session on the European Border and Coast Guard.

“You will agree with me, that nothing can happen to a member state without its consent, neither can anyone oblige it to cooperate with a third country if the same does not desire to do so. This is clear from the legislative proposal we submitted,” Avramopoulos said noting that “without genuine solidarity no member state can face alone the current challenges, let alone, the largest ones that will undoubtedly arise in the future.”

Regarding Greece, according to the Commissioner, “the prospective Agency will substantially strengthen its capacity to prevent crises like this and manage the borders which coincide legally with European ones.”