Archive
Resisting co-optation by Frontex: Italian academia and a Swiss referendum
There is growing awareness of and resistance to the role of EU border agency Frontex in human rights abuses, with a recent campaign at a university in Turin and a referendum in Switzerland seeking to halt different forms of cooperation with the agency. Read More
EU: Tracking the Pact: Eurodac, Asylum and Migration Management, emergency measures, external cooperation
Documents recently circulated with the Council of the EU on the proposals to expand Eurodac, for an Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, "emergency measures" for use at the Polish and Lithuanian borders with Belarus, and the latest European Commission update on "the main external migration dialogues and processes since 2019." Read More
EU: Artificial Intelligence Act: Council Presidency compromise on high-risk systems
Negotiations on the EU's proposed Artificial Intelligence Act are pressing ahead. On 13 January, the French Presidency of the Council circulated its proposed compromise on the sections of the proposal dealing with high-risk AI systems. We are making it publicly available here. Read More
ECHR: Strasbourg Court provides a strong standard on data retention and secret surveillance
In a judgment of 11th of January 2022, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Bulgaria’s legislation on secret surveillance is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Strasbourg-based court was asked to evaluate Bulgaria’s surveillance law, as well as several articles in the country’s criminal code. Read More
EU: Mass travel surveillance: no problem, says court
The mass travel surveillance and profiling of air passengers carried out under the EU's Passenger Name Record Directive does not breach fundamental rights standards, says an opinion published yesterday by the Court of Justice in Strasbourg. Opinions precede the verdict of the court, and often set the tone for rulings. Read More
Biometrics and counter-terrorism: UN briefing shows global spread of technology
The UN's Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) recently published a briefing on the use of biometrics for counter-terrorism purposes, offering a snapshot of how states around the world are increasingly deploying biometric technology. Read More
Invitation letter from Gerhard Karner, Austrian interior minister
An invitation to interior ministers, Commission officials, and others. Read More
EU: Artificial Intelligence Act: justice sector and high-risk systems; internal security; migration and borders; comments and presentations
We are publishing a number of documents concerning the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act, received in response to access to documents requests to the Council of the EU. Read More
German court to rule on UK spycop’s operations
A court is to examine the legality of outed spycop Mark Kennedy's activities in Germany, where he was present on multiple occasions between 2003 and 2009. The case concerns Kennedy's spying on Jason Kirkpatrick, as the latter coordinated press coverage around protests in 2007 and 2008. Read More
EU: Tracking the Pact: Border checks, funding, deportations and reception at the centre of the “gradual approach”
On 20 January the French Presidency of the Council circulated a paper examining "four issues to discuss further" relating to its "gradual approach" on the Pact on Migration and Asylum: external border checks and registration; financial and material support to member states with external borders; return and readmission policy; and reception and relocation. The paper highlights the need to "prevent the risk of absconding," which could be done by "increasing detention capacity". Read More