Archive
Mission report from European External Action Service trip to Niamey
A report from the Director of the EU's Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC), Mr Francisco Esteban Perez, following a trip to Niamey to inspect the work of the EUCAP Sahel Niger mission and to hold meetings with Nigerien officials. Read More
Belgium: 50 organisations and cybersecurity experts call on the government to halt attack on encryption
An open letter signed by 50 organisations and individuals, including Statewatch, calls on the Belgian government to halt its plan to introduce legislation that would introduce backdoors into encrypted communications, undermining the privacy, confidentiality and security of all users. Read More
European Commission: Artificial Intelligence Act aims “to decrease administrative burden on home affairs authorities in order not to hamper innovation”
Two presentations produced by the European Commission explain different aspects of the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act - namely, how the new measures would affect the use of biometric technologies, and what the rules would mean for the use of "artificial intelligence" for law enforcement, migration and asylum. Amongst other things, one presentation notes that the Artificial Intelligence Act aims "to decrease administrative burden on home affairs authorities in order not to hamper innovation" Read More
‘I didn’t really learn much except to nag the police. However, I have done that thoroughly’ – R.I.P. Heiner Busch
On 21 September, Heiner Busch, one of the founding members of Statewatch, passed away at the age of 64. Here we publish a translation of a tribute from a number of German organisations with which Heiner worked, and a tribute from Statewatch Director Emeritus, Tony Bunyan. Read More
FORMATION RELATIONS MEDIA, COMMUNICATION AVEC LE PUBLIC ET COMMUNICATION DE CRISE
Presentation produced by the company AudienceOne delivered in Rabat on 27 September 2021. Read More
Council of the EU: Discussion paper on “gaps and opportunities” in EU return policy
The EU is looking for ways to step up the number of deportations, and the Slovenian Presidency is seeking other member states' views on "missings links" and "synergy" in the coordination between different actors, whether there should be further emphasis on return and readmission in the EU's relations with third countries, and how negotiations on readmission agreements could be improved. Read More
Policing: EU and UK to extend post-Brexit biometric data exchange agreement
The EU and UK are to extend the application of rules that allow the cross-border searching and exchange of DNA and fingerprint data by law enforcement authorities, pending an evaluation of the UK’s data protection rules, which must take place by the end of June next year. Read More
EU: Tracking the Pact: Commission “to step up border management support at Libya’s Southern border”
The European Commission intends "to step up border management support at Libya’s Southern border," according to a draft action plan on cooperation on migration with Niger. New working arrangements will be signed between Frontex and EU missions EUCAP Sahel Niger and EUBAM Libya, that "could help the Governments of Niger and Libya shore up border management at their mutual land border," says the document. Read More
UK: Ninth anniversary of the publication of the Report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel
12 September was the ninth anniversary of the publication of the Report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, which set out the truth about what happened at Hillsborough football stadium in 1989: failures by the police and the football club to ensure safety measures, combined with a lack of coordination amongst emergency services, caused the deaths of 97 people following a crush in one of the stands. Here, we reproduce an extract from Phil Scraton's book, 'Hillsborough: The Truth', along with the presentation he gave at the launch of the Independent Panel's report in 2012. Read More
EU: E-evidence: Council note on state of play and possible ways forward
A Council Presidency note on the proposed e-evidence Regulation, which would ease the cross-border acquisition of digital data by law enforcement authorities, sets out a proposed way forward in negotiations with the European Parliament - including an admission that the Council is seeking to ensure that 'Article 7' proceedings on the rule of law in EU member states "will not affect the way the data is obtained from service providers." Read More