In view of the new legal framework and the interest taken by civil society in the EU's management of external borders, including its fundamental rights dimension, the Ombudsman seeks to clarify, by an own-initiative inquiry, the implementation by Frontex of its fundamental rights obligations.

The annual conference on the Schengen area (Academy of European Law) intents to provide legal practitioners with an in-depth analysis of the European Commission's proposed Regulation on the establishment of an evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen acquis.