On 4 March 2021, the European Parliament Scrutiny Working Group on Frontex (FSWG) held its first hearing to discuss the implementation of the fundamental rights provisions of the last Frontex mandate; to review the investigation related to the agency’s activities in the Aegean Sea; to debate the interpretation of applicable rules for the surveillance of the external sea borders; and to clarify the political scrutiny role of the European Commission over Frontex.

Frontex informed the FSWG about the agency’s plan to employ a new Fundamental Rights Officer from March onwards and also noted that 15 of the planned 40 Fundamental Rights Monitors had been recruited.

The FSWG was established in January 2021 following a decision by the Civil Liberties Committee to better monitor the agency, including its compliance with fundamental rights. The group consists of 14 MEPs, two per political group.