Frontex News

Operations Exhibition Opens Warsaw Showcases Border Tech

Frontex officially opened its Operations Exhibition at its Warsaw headquarters on April 1, 2026, as part of a wider refurbishment of the Operations Centre. The exhibition showcases border management technology including document readers, fingerprint scanners, scale models of vessels and aircraft, and VR field scenarios. Approximately 1,000 visitors ranging from students to law enforcement and diplomats visited the Operations Centre in 2025.

EU Irregular Border Crossings Down 40% in Q1 2026

Frontex preliminary data shows 21,400 irregular border crossings in Q1 2026, a 39% decline from the same period in 2025. The Eastern Mediterranean was the busiest route with 6,500 detections (down 34%), while the Western Mediterranean was the only major route to increase (up 66% to 4,400). Attempts via the Channel fell 41% to 6,600, and the Western African route saw the steepest decline at 83%. The report notes that nearly 1,000 people have died in the Mediterranean this year despite overall lower crossing numbers.

EU and Western Balkans Endorse Migration Priorities Through 2030

EU and Western Balkan partners endorsed new priorities for strengthening migration and asylum systems through 2030 at a Regional Steering Committee meeting held in Budva, Montenegro on April 20, 2026. The commitments cover four workplan areas: mixed migration, international protection, returns and alternatives to detention, and contingency planning for the period 2027-2030. Implementing agencies Frontex, EUAA, IOM, and UNHCR will continue supporting Western Balkan partners in aligning migration management with EU and international standards under the IPA-funded programme.