ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on border control activities in the Mediterranean Sea. It compares maritime operations launched by France, Italy and Spain within the Frontex framework, the EU agency dealing with border control. The chapter explores underlying logic, mandates, rules of engagement and coordination of different European navies in their effort of managing migration flows in the Mediterranean. The Guardia di Finanza is the link between FRONTEX and Italy's government and law enforcement agencies that operate in border and immigration control functions. France has been mainly involved in Frontex operations with an auxiliary role. International migration, as Anderson argued, has moved to the top of the international security agenda, due in part to concerns that migration flows provide conduits for the spread of international terrorism. Enhancing cross-national and subnational coordination together with transparency and accountability would be a good strategy to enhance border control in the Mediterranean Sea.