The border proposals are due on December 15, according to Germany's federal minister of the interior, Thomas de Maiziere. The European Commission is expected to propose Frontex, whose primary role is to coordinate national border agencies, as a permanent European Border and Coast Guard.
"The Commission should put forward a proposal… which has the goal of when a national state is not effectively fulfilling its duty of defending the external border, then that can be taken over by Frontex," de Maiziere told reporters.
The idea of a collective approach to border patrol was triggered by Greece's inability to cope with unprecedented flood of migrants arriving from Turkey.
German officials noted that the Schengen Border Code allowed the European Commission to make recommendations to a state that it should accept help from other EU members to protect its boders. Though by law the state can't be forced to accept help, if the national government is unable to protect their own borders, it is left with no other choice.
The upcoming proposals aimed at securing the defense of the external Schengen borders might still be opposed by states concerned with losing the right of sovereign control of their territory, protected in the Union's treaties.
EU diplomats said the December 15 proposals would take into account whether the EU must first gain approval from the affected state.
