3.2. The ETIAS Fundamental Rights Guidance Board

With the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), travellers from more than 60 visa-free countries will be required to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation to enter 30 European countries. ETIAS will reduce control procedures on arrival and shorten the time needed to cross EU’s external borders.

The ETIAS Fundamental Rights Guidance Board was established by the ETIAS Regulation (2018/1240), with a mandate to perform regular appraisals and issue recommendations on the impact on fundamental rights (Article 10(2)). The process of setting up the Guidance Board started in 2021. Fundamental Rights Office, in the capacity of a host of the secretariat, facilitated the process by bringing together representatives of a number of entities, outside and inside Frontex, for joint preparatory work, including the definition of the Guidance Board’s mandate, rules of procedure, participation and other working modalities.

On 14 November 2022, the first meeting of the Guidance Board was organized, during which Rules of Procedure were adopted, as well the members elected a Chair and Deputy (for a two-year term with possible re-election). Sebastian Hümmeler from the European Data Protection Board was elected chairperson, and Jonas Grimheden, Frontex’s Fundamental Rights Officer, deputy.

The Guidance Board is composed of representatives of the Frontex’ Fundamental Rights Office, the Agency’s Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights, the European Data Protection Supervisor, the European Data Protection Board and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. This composition is stipulated in the ETIAS Regulation (Article 10(1)).