The Swedish Coast Guard's operations at the EU's external borders
On behalf of European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the Swedish Coast Guard takes part in joint operations to monitor the EU's external borders, counter cross-border crime and save lives within the framework of Schengen cooperation.
Frontex coordinates border control
Frontex was established in 2005. It coordinates operational cooperation between Member States at the EU's external land, sea and air borders. Among other things, the agency can provide personnel, technical equipment, training and risk analysis. The aim is to strengthen border control and contribute to joint and consistent work within the EU. Read more on the Frontex website.
The Swedish Coast Guard's role in Frontex operations
The Swedish Coast Guard has taken part in Frontex operations since 2008. Our staff mainly work with border surveillance, contribute to maritime search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring and fisheries control.
The operations are carried out together with the host country's authorities and are coordinated by Frontex. The National Operations Department (Noa) of the Swedish Police Authority is Sweden's national contact point for Frontex. The Swedish Prison and Probation Service, Swedish Customs and the Swedish Migration Agency also take part in the cooperation. Read more on the Police's website.
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The Coast Guard's participation in Frontex operations is governed by
- Section 10 a of the ordinance containing instructions for the Swedish Coast Guard (förordningen med instruktion för Kustbevakningen) (2019:84) – states the Coast Guard's duty to take part in the EU's operational cooperation at the external borders of the Schengen area.
- The regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard (EU 2019/1896) – regulates Member States' obligations to contribute personnel and technical equipment and to cooperate on border surveillance, risk analyses and information exchange.
- International conventions on maritime safety and maritime search and rescue, above all\u00A0the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR).
The Coast Guard's operations in the Mediterranean
The operation was previously known as Themis and changed its name to Italy in 2024. In 2024–2027, the Coast Guard has taken part in operations on Lampedusa in Italy with boats and crews. In 2025/2026, 933 people were rescued in 27 search and rescue operations.
In 2018 and 2020, the Coast Guard took part in Italy with air surveillance. In 2020, 103 flight hours were carried out, along with five search and rescue operations in which 393 people were rescued. The operation also contributed to the arrest of five suspected people smugglers.
In 2015–2017, the Coast Guard took part in Italy with the combination vessel KBV 001 and air surveillance. In summer 2015, 21 search and rescue operations were carried out and 5,295 people were taken on board.
In April 2014, the Coast Guard took part in Italy with air surveillance and was involved in eleven search and rescue incidents in which 1,742 people were rescued.
Between 2008 and 2022, the Swedish Coast Guard took part in several Frontex operations in Greece, using aircraft, vessels and rigid inflatable boats. Between 2015 and 2017, 126 search and rescue operations were carried out in which over 5,300 people were rescued on board the Coast Guard's boats. In 2017, a further 2,374 people were rescued in 22 search and rescue operations. The operations also included border and fishing surveillance.
In Greece in 2020, the Coast Guard offered air surveillance after a request for reinforced border surveillance. The offer was withdrawn because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the logistical conditions.
