The New Dark Age

Statewatch News Online, 9 October 2011 (25/11)
Home page: http://www.statewatch.org/
e-mail: office@statewatch.org

1. Migreurop monitoring of the Vincennes detention centre fire appeal
2. EU: European Commission: Security features in travel documents: Belgium does not comply
3. EU: FRONTEX REGULATION DECLARATIONS
4. UK: Draft Enhanced Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill
5. EU: Council of the European Union: Draft Declaration on the 60th Anniversary of the 1951 Convention
6. EU: Council of the European Union: From: Europol To: JHA Counsellors/COSI Support Group
7. EU: Council of the European Union: Police dogs network (KYNOPOL), CEAS, Civil-Military, Counter Terrorism
8. EU: Analysis: Europe’s secret international negotiations violate EU law by Professor Deirdre Curtin
9. EU: JAIEX: This stands for the external aspect of Justice and Home Affairs policies and is a new influence on internal policy
10. EU: Council of the European Union: Manual on cross-border operations – national fact sheets
11. EU: Council of the European Union: Revised draft CIVCOM advice on Promoting Synergies between the EU Civil and Military
12. EU: EUROPEAN INVESTIGATION ORDER
13. EU: ROAD SAFETY DIRECTIVE
14. EU: VEHICLE DATA ON THE SIS
15. EU: Council of the European Union: Standards for the reception of asylum seekers (Recast)
16. EU: Terrorist Finance Tracking System: France’s position with respect to a European TFTP
17. EU: Council of the European Union: Council Presidency Note: Defining of conditions where entry ban can be imposed
18. EU: SWEDISH FRAMEWORK DECISION
19. CoE: Parliamentary Assembly: Undocumented migrant children in an irregular situation: a real cause for concern
20. Amnesty International: Unlock the truth in Lithuania: Investigate Secret Prisons Now
21. Videos are now available from the Statewatch conference
22. EU: INTERNAL SECURITY: European Parliament: EP Study
23. EU Ombudsman: International Right to Know Day
24. European Commission: Visa Information System (VIS)
25. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS: Recommendations: IFJ/EFJ Conference

1.  Migreurop monitoring of the Vincennes detention centre fire appeal: On 22 June 2008, the detention centre of Vincennes (France) burnt after several months of tension, the day after the suspicious death of a detainee. Several days earlier, a report by the French Ombudsman for detention places emphasized “the tension and violent atmosphere” in detention centres, especially in Vincennes:
Press release on the website: http://www.migreurop.org/article2033.html
Migreurop’s monitoring of the first trial of the accused for the Vincennes fire: http://www.migreurop.org/rubrique323.html
 
Previous Statewatch coverage: France: Ten convictions over Vincennes detention centre fire:
http://database.statewatch.org/article.asp?aid=29878

France: CNDS report into Vincennes detention centre death, Statewatch news online, July 2010:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2010/jul/06france-vincennes.htm%20

2.  EU: European Commission: Security features in travel documents: Belgium does not comply with the obligations to issue biometric passports (Press release, pdf): “Amongst the EU Member States that have to comply with this legislation, Belgium is the only one who does not currently issue biometric passports with fingerprints.”
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-com-belgium-bio-passports-prel.pdf

3. EU: FRONTEX REGULATION DECLARATIONS: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 establishing a European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX) (first reading) – Adoption of the legislative act (LA + S) =Statements:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-frontex-decls-14702-add1-11.pdf

4. UK: Draft Enhanced Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/uk-gov-etpim-draft-bill.pdf

5. EU: Council of the European Union: Draft European Union Declaration on the 60th Anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-ciouncil-60th-aniversary-1951-geneva-convention-12396-11.pdf

and see: Convention and protocol relating to the status of refugees:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/un-1951conv-refugees.pdf

6.  EU: Council of the European Union: From: Europol To: JHA Counsellors/COSI Support Group: Operational Action Plan template (pdf) and see: Standing Committee on operation cooperation on internal security (COSI): Draft COSI 18-month Work Programme:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-operational-action-plan-12587-rev3-11.pdf

7. EU: Council of the European Union: Police dogs network (KYNOPOL), CEAS, Civil-Military, Counter Terrorism:

– List of national contact points of KYNOPOL:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-kynopol-contact-points-police-dogs-13880-11.pdf

– Common European Asylum System = State of play/guidance on further negotiations on CEAS:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-councilceas-13930-11.pdf

and Revised draft CIVCOM advice on Promoting Synergies between the EU Civil and Military Capability Development – Final report on the outcomes of Phase 2 of the Workplan: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-civil-mil-11631-rev1-11.pdf

– Summary of EU counter-terrorism policy in light of the 10th anniversary of the 11 September attacks:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-ct-report-14157-11.pdf

8.  EU: Analysis: Europe?s secret international negotiations violate EU law (pdf) by Professor Deirdre Curtin, Professor of European Law, Director of Amsterdam Centre for European Law and Governance, University of Amsterdam: http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/no-153-secret-europe.pdf

“Given the way that the EU is rapidly evolving in institutional and political terms the time has come for the issue of classified information in the EU to be confronted head on. The EU needs a general law on classification of documents applying to all the institutions and organs of the EU and adopted according to the normal legislative procedure.”

Background see Decision by made the leaders of the politcal groups not by the parliament as a whole: Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 6 June 2011 concerning the rules governing the treatment of confidential information by the European Parliament:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/ep-classified-info-oj.pdf

9. EU: JAIEX: This stands for the external aspect of Justice and Home Affairs policies and is a new influence on internal policy as well as another “backdoor” for hidden US interventions: Recommendations for JAIEX working methods: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-jaiex-working-methods-14145-11.pdf

See, for example: Summary of conclusions of the meeting of the JHA-RELEX Working Party (JAIEX) on 9 September 2011 (pdf) which includes “Review of activities in the EU-US Cyber working party – information by the Commission: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-jaiex-14174-11.pdf

10.  EU: Council of the European Union: Manual on cross-border operations – national fact sheets (large file, 468 pages)
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-cross-border-ops-10505-rev4-add1-rev2-09.pdf

11.  EU: Council of the European Union: Revised draft CIVCOM advice on Promoting Synergies between the EU Civil and Military Capability Development – Final report on the outcomes of Phase 2 of the Workplan:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-civil-mil-11631-rev1-11.pdf

12.  EU: EUROPEAN INVESTIGATION ORDER: Initiative of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Estonia, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovenia and the Kingdom of Sweden for a Directive regarding the European Investigation Order in criminal matters – Follow-up document of the meeting of the Working Party on 22 July 2011: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-eio-13224-11.pdf

13.  EU: ROAD SAFETY DIRECTIVE: which requires extensive exchange of information: Council of the European Union: Press release:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-road-safety-prel.pdf

Directive facilitating the cross-border exchange of information on road safety related traffic offences:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-road-safety-directive.pdf

Proposal for a Directive facilitating cross-border enforcement in the field of road safety (second reading) – Approval of the European Parliament’s amendments (LA + S) – Statements:  http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-road-safety-statements-14251-add2-11.pdf

See also Commission document in relation to the latter document: Opinion of the Commission to the Council’s position regarding the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council facilitating cross-border enforcement in the field of road safety:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eucom-road-safety-533-11.pdf

14. EU: VEHICLE DATA ON THE SIS: Council of the European Union: Draft report to be submitted to the European Parliament in accordance with Art. 102A(4) of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement (CISA): 2010:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-councilrep-schengen-road-traffic-data-13680-11.pdf

“Article 102A of the Schengen Convention introduces, for services in the Member States responsible for issuing registration certificates for vehicles, a right to have access to specific data in the Schengen Information System. This concerns data on motor vehicles, trailers and caravans which have been stolen, misappropriated or lost, and registration certificates for vehicles and number plates.”

15.  EU: Council of the European Union: Amended proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down standards for the reception of asylum seekers (Recast):  http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-reception-13102-11.pdf

The Council’s position lowers standards regarding detention and legal aid as compared with the existing Directive.

16.  EU: Terrorist Finance Tracking System: France’s position with respect to a European TFTP:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-eu-tfps-13716-11.pdf

17.  EU: Council of the European Union: Council Presidency Note: Defining of conditions where entry ban can be imposed and the means by which Member States can have rapid access to information on entry ban:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-pres-entry-bans-13621-11.pdf

18.  EU: SWEDISH FRAMEWORK DECISION: Council of the European Union: xCouncil Framework Decision 2006/960/JHA on simplifying the exchange of information and intelligence between law enforcement authorities of the Member States of the European Union (“Swedish Framework Decision”) – Assessment of compliance pursuant to Article 11(2) – Draft Report: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/oct/eu-council-swed-init-implementation-13970-11.pdf

“The “Swedish Framework Decision” (SFD) implements the “principle of availability”. “The SFD concept of ?information and/or intelligence? covers information or data: which is held by law enforcement authorities [and] which is held by public authorities or by private entities and which is available to law enforcement authorities without taking coercive measures.” “The majority of MS stated that they do not draw on the SFD on a regular basis for requesting information. In particular, the forms annexed to the SFD for requesting and submitting information were not generally used as this procedure is considered complex and cumbersome.”

19.  CoE: Parliamentary Assembly: Undocumented migrant children in an irregular situation: a real cause for concern:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/coe-undocumented-children.pdf

20.  Amnesty International: Unlock the truth in Lithuania: Investigate Secret Prisons Now:
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/ai-lithuania-report.pdf

21.  Videos are now available from the Statewatch conference, “Statewatching Europe: Civil Liberties, the State and the European Union”, held on 25 June 2011 at Conway Hall, London. Both plenary sessions and two of the six workshops were recorded (14 speeches in total): Statewatch conference speeches Including: Keynote speeches by Gareth Peirce: ‘The war on terror’  and Tony Bunyan: ‘The state of Europe’: http://www.statewatch.org/conference/videos/index.html

22. EU: INTERNAL SECURITY: European Parliament: EP Study: Parliamentary Oversight of security and intelligence agencies in the EU (446 pages):
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/ep-study-dem-control-intel-agencies.pdf

23.  EU Ombudsman: International Right to Know Day: Ombudsman calls for more pro-active transparency in the EU: “?I am concerned about the consistently high number of transparencyrelated complaints I receive every year. Many EU institutions are still too reactive in their approach to public access and some even seem to be defensive in their thinking.?  http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/eu-ombudsman-int-rght-to-know-day.pdf

24. European Commission: Commission Implementing Decision of 21 September 2011 determining the date from which the Visa Information System (VIS) is to start operations in a first region: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/eu-com-vis-launch.pdf

25. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS: Recommendations: IFJ/EFJ Conference ?10 years after 9/11, Journalism in the Shadow of Terror Laws?, held in Brussels on 10th-11th September, 2011: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2011/sep/ifj-conference-10-11-sep-11-final-recommendations.pdf
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