Throughout history, the European Union (EU) has made many attempts to establish a common migration policy, but member states' prioritisation of their own national security has slowed down this process. As of 2015, migration initiatives focused on arrival in Europe began to increase, and the need for a common solution was once again brought to the agenda. In this context, the decision-making mechanism based on the principle of ‘unanimity’ was changed to ‘qualified majority’ in order to reduce the diversity of opinions on migration to a single voice. This paved the way for a common asylum and migration policy. FRONTEX, established in 2004 and renamed the ‘European Border and Coast Guard Agency’ in 2016, emerged as a result of this joint initiative.

This study examines the operations of FRONTEX, which was established as a result of the EU's joint migration policy initiative. The aim of the study is to highlight the inconsistencies between FRONTEX operations and EU legislation. This dilemma is also causing a loss of confidence in the Union. In this context, the study first provides information on FRONTEX's operations within the framework of EU migration policy. It then assesses the inconsistency between these operations and EU legislation. Analysing FRONTEX's operations is crucial to better understanding the criticisms levelled at the EU's migration policies.