Archive
Joint letter to challenge the delay and limited transparency surrounding the establishment of the AI Act Advisory Forum
Statewatch has co-signed a letter to the Head of AI's office to flag concerns surrounding the delay and limited transparecny surrounding the establishment of the AI Advisory Forum. Read More
Counterterrorism and children’s data: Child rights implications of data-driven technologies and migration policies
In a world where data is routinely shared across borders, children are at risk of lifelong consequences when their names are placed on security databases or watchlists. Whether children are used by armed groups, suspected of links to them, or who simply have family members involved, they may be screened by official authorities. This often involves recording and storing their sensitive personal data and can lead to them being flagged as a security risk. This article suggests ways to reduce these risks by integrating a child rights-based lens to counterterrorism work. Read More
Frontex uses border capacity review to argue its own value
A report from the EU’s border agency Frontex examines the border control capacity of individual member states as well as the EU as a whole. Aside from offering considerable information updates, including changing migration flows and improved operational capacities in some regions, the report also serves as a way for Frontex to tout its own value and remind member states of its continued relevance, ahead of an expected mandate review later in the year. Read More
Migration partnerships
ICMPD checks in about what it’s doing in Turkey // Enhanced migration cooperation with Lebanon and Libya // The ‘right to leave’ in an era of externalisation Read More
Deportation and readmission
The future of Frontex: a “comprehensive strategy” for deportations Read More
Border management
Preparing for the Pact: Presidency urges member states to make sure they can keep asylum seekers where they are // Preparing for the Pact: Screening and unaccompanied minor procedures // Artificial Intelligence and EU border control // Frontex updates on border control status, touts its own ‘added value’ // EU presents long-awaited ‘first-ever’ Visa Strategy // EUAA updates on asylum digitalisation, unaccompanied minors and age assessments under the new Pact // Presentation on internal security strategy hints at further intensifying of border control Read More
Europe’s uncertain plans for rolling out the automated border system ETIAS
The European Travel Information and Authorisation system (ETIAS) is due to launch at the end of this year, yet faces criticism from civil society and European institutions. Even Frontex, the EU border agency known for its own poor data practices, has highlighted concerns about the system's compliance with data protection laws. The European Commission’s failure to release legal guidance on compliance and a pending judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) adds to the uncertainty surrounding the planned system's start. Read More
Europol seeks a new director to ‘shape the agency’s future’
Europol is in the process of hiring a new director to replace Catherine de Bolle. At the same time, the former executive director of Frontex faces a French court for complicity in crimes against humanity. Both agencies have a history of acting beyond the law to prevent people from migrating to Europe, with little to no repercussions. If Europol's new director follows suit, the recent reform to the Europol regulation will likely shield them from adequate oversight. Read More
The decline of rights under UK’s Labour: 2024-2026
The UK has had a Labour party government for nearly two years. Despite Prime Minister Keir Starmer promising that change would "begin immediately", under his watch the government has continued, and at times intensified, a crackdown on civil liberties begun by his Conservative predecessors. The result is more surveillance, greater potential for police abuse and the criminalisation of nearly all meaningful forms of protest. Read More
The hidden EU funds behind violence at sea
In August 2025, the humanitarian vessel the Ocean Viking was shot at in international waters north of Libya. The attackers were part of what is known as the Libyan Coast Guard - a collection of militias and other actors funded by the EU to prevent irregular migration to Europe. A new report reveals the financial ties between the EU and the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. It also shows how, despite clear evidence of mass violence waged against migrants and humanitarians, the EU plans only to extend the cooperation. Read More