BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — On December 15, the European Commission proposed to establish a European Border and Coast Guard to enhance the control of external EU borders and to prevent migrants from outside the bloc reaching its frontiers. According to the proposal, some 1,500 border guards are to work at the agency, which would have the power to return undocumented migrants to their countries of origin.
"Work in the Council on the propose for European border and coast guards is progressing fast," Hennis-Plasschaert said, speaking at a plenary session of the European Parliament.
She added that the European Parliament and the Council of Europe are seeking to reach an agreement on the issue by the end of June.
Europe is struggling to find a solution to a massive refugee crisis and to strengthen EU external border controls, aimed at preventing the uncontrolled flow of migrants into the bloc, as hundreds of thousands of migrants flee conflict-torn countries of the Middle East and North Africa for Europe.
