The chief of Frontex Friday called for the European Union to provide clearer rules on striking a balance between the human rights of asylum seekers and greater border protection.

Frontex Border and Coastguard Agency which engages in border control, including preventing human trafficking and smuggling, were scrutinized for violating human rights. Cases under review include Lithuania, which sent Middle Eastern migrants trying to cross the border into Belarus in August. The EU ombudsman accused the agency of failing to meet transparency requirements, while Frontex has been assisting Lithuania to manage migration from Belarus.

This prompted the Chief, Fabrice Legerri, to call for greater “clarification.” Stating that there was no clear guidance on what they can and cannot do for border control, the EU needs to “strike a balance between prohibiting illegal crossing while maintaining access to international protection.” Standing at the border of Lithuania and Belarus, Legerri said that some illegal crossings fall outside of the EU regulations remit for border control. Therefore, within their powers, they can only comply with the fundamental human rights already set out. Currently, there is a right to “have international protection,” but not to protect those seeking asylum.

Other foreign speakers, including Greek Minister for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachi, have called for more border control regulations, citing similar experiences between the Greek-Turkish border in 2020.