The activities of the EU border control agency, Frontex, have increasingly drawn the attention of the public, as it is sometimes portrayed as a threat to the EU core principles of democracy, transparency and human rights. This review highlights the need for an oversight mechanism, which may restore public faith in Frontex to legitimately carry out its duties in manner conducive to EU core values. The prevailing challenges to fulfilling this need are reviewed, along with the related activity of the European Parliament and the way forward for Frontex in accordance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Conclusively, it is submitted that a greater level of European Parliamentary oversight as a means to improve transparency is a solution to the accountability issue linked to border control.
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