EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecila Malmstrom today urged member states to make an extra effort in order to try to reach agreement on broad changes to Frontex – the EU's border control agency – warning them that they cannot expect the agency to perform miracles in controlling the flow of immigration to the EU without their participation.

Speaking during a press conference at the end of the Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Council meeting, Ms Malmstrom said that although many member states have high expectations from Frontex, the agency needed the commitment of member states to perform its duties better.

For the last two years the Commission has been trying to persuade member states to commit more resources to the agency. However, some are still wary of granting more powers and resources to the Warsaw-based EU border agency.

Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil – appointed as the EP's negotiator on this dossier, has proposed various amendments to the rules of Frontex but discussions are still ongoing.

For the second consecutive year, Malta declined an offer to host a Frontex mission in the sea strait between Sicily-Malta and Libya as the agency has been insisting that the island should become responsible for all the illegal immigrants and asylum seekers given assistance during this mission.

Watch Commissioner’s Malmstrom’s comments during press conference in the video above.