News

Launched in 1999 and updated regularly, Statewatch News includes our own reporting and writing as well as articles, announcements, documents and analyses from elsewhere on civil liberties, EU policies and state practices. You can receive updates in your inbox by signing up to our mailing list, or use our RSS feed to get instant alerts.

20 May 2021

Commission, French government hope Morocco will return to being Europe's border guard

Both the European Commission and the French government have expressed hopes that the Moroccan government will once again take up its role as Europe's border guard and prevent departures to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where thousands of people have arrived in the last few days.

20 May 2021

Spain: A human rights based approach must be taken in Ceuta, say Spanish members of Migreurop

Andalucía Acoge, APDHA, CEAR, Elín, Iridia, Red Acoge and the SOS Racismo Federation demand a human-rights based outlook in Ceuta

20 May 2021

EU: Accountability measures for Frontex: critical experts weigh in

Two new papers, from the Meijers Committee and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), set out ways to improve the accountability and transparency of EU border agency Frontex.

19 May 2021

EU: E-Evidence: Media and journalists, civil society groups, professional organisations and technology companies demand fundamental rights protections

Forthcoming legislation on "e-evidence" would ease the cross-border gathering and transfer of data for use in criminal proceedings. Member states and MEPs must include fundamental rights protections in the rules , says a letter published today and signed by media and journalists' organisations, civil society groups, professional organisations and technology companies.

18 May 2021

EU: Exploit the pandemic to digitize the deportation process, says Council Presidency

The EU should "seize" the opportunity provided by the pandemic to implement "a true technological transition" and digitize deportation proceedings, says a report by the Portuguese Council Presidency looking at how member states have dealt expulsions since last spring.

18 May 2021

Council of Europe: "Democratic renewal" is needed to save human rights and the rule of law

A "democratic renewal" is needed to "reinforce and renew European democracy and to create an environment in which human rights and the rule of law flourish," says the latest annual report of the Council of Europe.

17 May 2021

EU: Undermining encryption: Council Presidency sets out "next steps"

The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU is calling on member states to "support and contribute to the Commission's efforts in the process of identifying options for the way forward on encryption," as EU institutions aim for the contradictory objectives of promoting the use of encryption whilst undermining its effectiveness.

11 May 2021

DNA sequencing, DIY style: "vigilance could be required on both legal and ethical issues"

A briefing paper from the European Parliament's Scientific Foresight unit asks a question that raises all manner of legal, ethical and philosophical questions: "As DNA sequencing technologies continuously improve and become less costly, what if we all soon possessed our personal, smart DNA sequencers and apps to analyse our DNA?"

11 May 2021

USA: Mass biometric data-gathering border rule withdrawn, but database construction continues

A statement from Mijente and Just Futures Law on the repeal of a rule introduced by the Trump administration allowing the mass collection of biometric data from immigrants entering the USA. However, this change "only stops the rollout of flawed legal justification for mass collection of our biometric information, not its practice nor plans to expand it."

11 May 2021

EU: Tracking the Pact: Council papers on common asylum procedure and "voluntary return and reintegration"

Two recent Council documents: a consolidated version of the text of the proposed Asylum Procedure Regulation, currently being discussed by the Council's Asylum Working Party; and a discussion paper on the strategy on voluntary return and reintegration, recently published by the European Commission.

11 May 2021

EU-USA: "Sensitive" European Commission information note on cross-border access to electronic evidence

A recent note produced by the European Commission, marked "sensitive" and not intended for distribution outside of the Council of the EU or European Parliament, sheds a sliver of light on the "state of play of negotiations of an EU-US Agreement on cross-border access to electronic evidence".

10 May 2021

UNHCR deeply concerned at discriminatory two-tier UK asylum plans, urges rethink

The UNHCR says that the UK government's 'New Plan for Immigration', which seeks to diminish refugee protections, risks "breaching international legal commitments, undermining global refugee cooperation and triggering damaging effects on asylum-seekers who arrive irregularly".

07 May 2021

Europol should step up data exchange on "civil unrest", Council Presidency proposes

Europol should exchange information with national authorities "regarding the prevention of violent demonstrations and civil unrest," say a draft set of Council conclusions on "lessons learned" from the pandemic for internal security and law enforcement.

06 May 2021

Frontex and lobbying: Executive Director Decision on the Transparency Register

Frontex is to set up a lobbying transparency register to record details of meetings with representatives from the private sector, in accordance with the 2019 Regulation governing the border agency. Statewatch has obtained the Decision of Executive Director establishing the register.

06 May 2021

EU: Military Committee plan to ensure input into the "Strategic Compass"

The EU is bolstering its ability to project power abroad. The latest means for doing so is through the adoption of a "Strategic Compass", which is intended to "help strengthen a common European security and defence culture". An internal document obtained by Statewatch shows how the EU Military Committee aims to ensure the views of the "Military Community" are taken into account.

06 May 2021

Council of Europe: Anti-torture committee warns against the impact of austerity measures on the conditions of detention in prisons

Alongside the release of its annual report, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture has issued a set of minimum requirements for detention in prisons. The requirements are a response to a deterioration in conditions caused by years of austerity measures - and which may be worsened by future cuts introduced in response to expenditure during the pandemic.

05 May 2021

Algorithmic discrimination in Europe: Challenges and opportunities for gender equality and non-discrimination law

A study contracted by the European Commission examining how practices of algorithmic discrimination can undermine the rights to equality and non-discrimination, and potential responses.

05 May 2021

Illegal detention at the French-Italian border: the State Council washes its hands of the issue

A press release from a group of human rights organisations in response to a decision of the French Conseil d'Etat, which has failed to order the closure of illegal detention facilities at the French-Italian border.

05 May 2021

EU: Detention at the borders to increase "voluntary" return of migrants

A new strategy on "voluntary" return and reintegration unveiled by the European Commission at the end of last month notes that the use of detention "can increase the uptake of voluntary returns at early stages of the return process."

04 May 2021

Khlaifia sentence: Italy still under scrutiny for violations in hotspots

Five years after the Khlaifia ruling handed down by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the effective respect of rights in hotspots in Italy is still not guaranteed and needs to be further examined in December 2021. This was decided by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe following violations and critical events reported by ASGI, A Buon Diritto Onlus and CILD.

 

Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.

Report error