"[The European Border and Coast Guard] will allow for an identification of any weaknesses in real time so that they can be remedied quickly, also improving our collective ability to deal effectively with crisis situations where a section of the external border is placed under strong pressure," Timmermans said at the European Parliament plenary session.
According to him, 1,500 border guards from EU countries will work at the new agency.
Timmermans also said the new border body would be authorized to send illegal migrants back to their home countries.
The proposal of the Commission comes in wake of a massive refugee crisis Europe is currently struggling to cope with, as hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict-torn countries in the Middle East and North Africa in search of safety and refuge in Europe.
