enforcement.2 Today, in describing its mission, Frontex emphasizes coordination, research, and surveillance.3 As Gil Arias Fernández, deputy executive director of Frontex, told Human Rights Watch in a meeting in the Greek town of Orestiada in December 2010: We are always explaining what is sometimes difficult to explain. Our role is one of a coordinator. We act as a facilitator between states for resources. The operations are always led by the host state.4 There may be a good reason why Frontex’s role is “difficult to explain.” Although Frontex has insisted it is less “actor” than “coordinator,” it has quickly developed into a powerful actor that plays a key role in enforcing EU immigration policy.5 The Frontex budget has grown exponentially in recent years, reflecting this development. From €6.2 million in 2004 (just under US$9 million), Frontex’s budget grew to more than €88 million (or over US$120 million) in 2010.6 Frontex has a staff of 272 seconded national experts, temporary, auxiliary, and contract staff, according to its web page.7 Through the years, Frontex has become increasingly active through joint operations, in which it has organized European member states’ resources for operations along EU’s external borders and at airports.8 It has also coordinated increasing numbers of joint maritime operations, some of which have involved coordination with countries of embarkation outside the EU, such as Senegal. Many joint maritime operations, such as Frontex’s Hera I, II, and III operations, which succeeded in dramatically reducing the number of boat arrivals in Spain’s Canary Islands, seem to have had the objective of 2 The commission’s proposal suggests that the agency “shall simply assist Member States in implementing Community legislation in the fields of control and surveillance of the external borders and the removal of third-country nationals.” COM (2003) 687 final/2, p. 4. Norway and Iceland joined Frontex as participating states through Council Decision 2007/511/EC of February 15, 2007; Switzerland and Liechtenstein joined as participating states through Council Decision 2010/490/EU of 26 July 26, 2010. The United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark did not participate in Frontex’s founding regulation and are not bound to or subject to its application. 3 See Frontex’s Website, under “tasks”: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/origin_and_tasks/tasks/ (accessed April 3, 2011). 4 Human Rights Watch interview with Gil Arias Fernández, deputy executive director of Frontex, Orestiada, December 3, 2010. 5 For example, on January 1, 2011, Frontex signed a cooperation agreement with Cape Verde. See: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/newsroom/news_releases/art88.html (accessed April 3, 2011). See breakdown of budget for 2005 at: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/gfx/frontex/files/2005_budget_mb_decision_of_30_jun_2005.pdf and breakdown of budget from 2010 at: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/gfx/frontex/files/budget/budgets/2010_budget_amendments_tbp.pdf (both accessed April 1, 2011). 7 Frontex’s Website: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/more_about_frontex/ (accessed July 7, 2011). 6 8 See Frontex’s explanation on “joint operations” at: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/structure/operations_division/joint_operations/ . See “examples of accomplished operations, including budget, objectives, and participating Member States, at: http://www.frontex.europa.eu/examples_of_accomplished_operati (both accessed April 3, 2011). 11 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | SEPTEMBER 2011