Archive
Swiss government urged to rethink mass telecoms surveillance plan
The Swiss government should halt its plans to extend the widespread surveillance of telecommunications, says a letter signed by 19 organisations including Statewatch. The country’s federal government is planning to revise a law that obliges telecoms companies to retain data about users, in case it is of interest to the police. The letter warns this would violate rights, run counter to European jurisprudence, and create huge cybersecurity risks. Read More
Council of Europe Convention on Artificial Intelligence: zero draft and member state submissions
The Council of Europe is working on a Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. Drafting is ongoing on what will be the first international convention on the issue of AI. Civil society organisations have been excluded from the process at the behest of the USA. We are publishing the “zero draft” of the Convention, the draft risk assessment methodology and comments on the draft from a number of member states, Council of Europe committees, corporations and civil society groups. Read More
Ireland increases payment to Frontex by tens of thousands of euros to boost deportations
Ireland's participation in Frontex activities is governed by agreements that are renewed annually. A Frontex management board decision from March outlines Ireland’s participation in operations and activities for 2022. The payment to Frontex from Ireland is significantly larger than in previous years, particularly in the realm of returns. Read More
Former Frontex officer pledges to vote “no” in referendum on Swiss funding for the agency
A Swiss border guard who served in around 10 Frontex operations has said he will vote “no” in the upcoming referendum on whether or not to increase the funding provided by Switzerland to the EU border agency, as he fears that the country may end up being an accomplice in unlawful actions. Read More
Interviews: Transnational action in support of upcoming referendum on Switzerland’s funding for Frontex
To find out more about the Abolish Frontex! network and the upcoming Swiss referendum on whether the country should increase its financial contributions to the EU border agency, we spoke to Luisa Izuzquiza of Frag den Staat and Abolish Frontex! and to Lorenz Nagel, a member of Watch the Med/AlarmPhone and the Migrant Solidarity Network that proposed and campaigned for the Swiss referendum. Read More
Belgium: Parliamentary scrutiny not over for Frontex
European Border and Coast Guard Agency to face hearing in the Federal Parliament in Brussels, with representatives of civil society organisations, on 22 February. Read More
Switzerland: Federal Intelligence Service has spied on migrants’ rights group for 15 years
The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service has been monitoring the activities of Solidarité sans frontières (SOSF), an organisation that advocates for the rights of migrants and asylum-seekers, since 2006, papers obtained by SOSF show. SOSF is one of many such groups that the FIS keeps tabs on. Read More
Greece rebuffs refugee travel abuse claims from northern Schengen states
In response to a letter from six northern Schengen states calling for action to prevent the "secondary movement" of refugees from Greece, the Greek government has argued that "the focus needs to be placed on preventing primary flows," meaning stricter border controls. Read More
Whip Greece into shape so we can resume migrant removals, northern Schengen states demand
A letter from six northern EU member states, obtained by Statewatch, calls on the European Commission to take steps to make it possible to resume removals of asylum-seekers and refugees to Greece and put a halt to "secondary movements". Read More
Germany: More than 2,000 new authorities to gain access to the revamped Schengen Information System
The rules on the Schengen Information System (SIS) were revised in 2018 and provide the possibility for member states to connect new authorities, either directly or indirectly, to the database. The system holds data on tens of millions of wanted or missing persons and objects. In Germany, some 2,000 new authorities will gain access to data. Meanwhile in Switzerland, there is a political controversy over accepting the new rules - but if the country were to reject them, it would have to leave the Schengen area altogether. Read More