European Integrated Border Management: State of Play and Perspective

Christian Ilcus

Abstract

The 2019 Frontex Regulation mandates the European Commission to formulate a strategic or political policy on European Integrated Border Management. The paper aims to analyze the decision-making process in preparing and developing the strategy. In addition, it seeks to understand (a) the influence of European institutions on EIBM communication and (b) the potential of supranational authority. We are building on an analytical framework encompassing executiveagency theory, multi-level policy-making, and leadership theory. The methods employed are process tracing and a case study based on content analysis of public documents and internet sources. The research contributes to the literature on Frontex in three manners. First, we apply an analytical framework to analyze the decision-making process of EIBM communication. Secondly, the study explores theory generation, promotes ideas, and is experimental by being augmented by AI Bing and Grammarly. Third, the study pursues the way forward on EIBM with energy and vigor by providing food for thought to be consolidated into an action plan, dovetailing with the multi-annual strategic policy. The overall conclusion is that politically desirable outcomes, such as the restoration of the entire Schengen free zone of travel, entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen, and the creation of an integrated and uniform EIBM system, are unlikely without the consideration of a multi-layered strategy encompassing an efficient supranational administrative system, a properly working multi-level policy system, and political leadership. The EIBM strategy is geared towards the assumption of bureaucratic control through an interwoven approach based on isomorphic BM organizations and risk assessments, agreed to within a pluralistic polity, DG Home barely wants to be given publicity. It will remain as ineffective as the desire to lead the pack through the EU Border Guard is illusory. Common ground is the need for an evolution in the EU’s external border regime, a legal requirement, and a political must now that the EU’s borders have been defined. The overall conclusion is that an action plan a la Suisse is needed to move forward.

Keywords

Corresponding Author

Christian Ilcus, MSc in political science and MA in EU Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark.

Citation

Ilcus, C. (2025). European Integrated Border Management: State of Play and Perspective Econ Dev Glob Mark, 1(1), 01-128.