Welcome to our latest edition, featuring:
- EU police forces authorized to transmit DNA and fingerprint data to the UK from 30 June
- Deportations: EU to push for new readmission agreements “using all levers and incentives available”
- EU: End game approaching for e-evidence negotiations, says French Presidency
Don’t forget to have a look at our roundup of news from across Europe from the last fortnight, now categorised by theme.
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EU: End game approaching for e-evidence negotiations, says French Presidency
Negotiations on the EU’s controversial “e-evidence” proposals may be coming to a close soon, according to a note circulated by the French Presidency of the Council on 16 June.
The proposals, which aim to ease cross-border requests for and exchange of electronic data for use in criminal cases, are made up of two new laws – a Regulation on European Production and Preservation Orders for electronic evidence in criminal matters, and a Directive laying down harmonised rules on the appointment of legal representatives for the purpose of gathering evidence in criminal proceedings.
The note was drawn up following the sixth “political trilogue” between the Council, Parliament and Commission on 14 June, and aims to consult the member states in preparation for “the next steps in the negotiations”.
Read more here.
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Deportations: EU to push for new readmission agreements “using all levers and incentives available”
Council Presidency progress report from 9 June focusses on “operationalisation of the external dimension, including as regards returns”; protection of the external borders; member state solidarity; and “more effective implementation of the Dublin rules”.
The report highlights developments in “cooperation” with third countries to combat the “instrumentalisation of migration flows”, priorities for Frontex regarding external cooperation, the conflict in Ukraine and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) since February 2022.
Read more here.
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EU and USA set up “informal expert group” on mutual legal assistance and extradition
The EU and the USA are to set up an “informal expert group” aiming to “improve the practical implementation” of agreements on mutual legal assistance and extradition.
Read more here.
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EU and USA set up “informal expert group” on mutual legal assistance and extradition
Deportations: EU to push for new readmission agreements “using all levers and incentives available”
EU police forces authorized to transmit DNA and fingerprint data to the UK from 30 June
News
06 July 2022
EU: End game approaching for e-evidence negotiations, says French Presidency
Negotiations on the EU’s controversial “e-evidence” proposals may be coming to a close soon, according to a note circulated by the French Presidency of the Council on 16 June.
04 July 2022
EU and USA set up “informal expert group” on mutual legal assistance and extradition
The EU and the USA are to set up an “informal expert group” aiming to “improve the practical implementation” of agreements on mutual legal assistance and extradition.
29 June 2022
Deportations: EU to push for new readmission agreements “using all levers and incentives available”
Council Presidency progress report from 9 June focusses on “operationalisation of the external dimension, including as regards returns”; protection of the external borders; member state solidarity; and “more effective implementation of the Dublin rules”.
27 June 2022
EU police forces authorized to transmit DNA and fingerprint data to the UK from 30 June
EU member states’ police forces will be able to transmit DNA and fingerprint data to the UK from 30 June, as part of post-Brexit cooperation on the ‘Prüm’ network of police databases.
The Roundup
Material we have shared on our Twitter and Facebookaccounts in the last fortnight, now categorised by theme:
Asylum and immigration
Human Rights Watch, 6 July
Poland Finally Lifts State of Emergency at Belarus Border
“This “exclusionary zone” blocked aid, media and civil society groups from seeing what happened in this stretch of the border, where migrants & asylum seekers often attempted to cross into the EU”
Guardian, 3 July
UK Home Office plans second flight to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda
“Flight could take off within weeks and before court has ruled on whether scheme is lawful”
Reuters, 30 June
EU tells Greece to stop “violent” migrant deportations
“Violent and illegal deportations of migrants must stop” says Ylva Johasson
“She said Athens would put in place a new system to safeguard fundamental rights. She gave no details about the new system”
InfoMigrants, 29 June
12,000 Afghans still waiting for evacuation to Germany
Nearly a third of all the people who were approved for relocation since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August of last year are still waiting
Migreurop, 28 June
A new mass grave at the Melilla border barriers: racist massacres and impunity must stop at the Moroccan-Spanish borders!
Following the tragedy at the Melilla border fence on 24 June, in which at least 27 exiled people died, Migreurop publishes a communication to denounce a security-oriented & criminal migration regime that produces racist violence.
Free movement, 28 June
UK: New regs bring key bits of Borders Act into force on 28 June
“The instrument brings into force around a third of the act’s 82 substantive sections in addition to the dozen or so provisions that automatically go live on that date”
Amnesty International, 27 June
Lithuania: Pushbacks, illegal detention, deception and abuses against refugees and migrants
Report by Amnesty details abuses against people who crossed into Lithuania from Belarus- treatment starkly contrasts with reception of people arriving from Ukraine.
Al Jazeera, 26 June
The refugees cast adrift in the Mediterranean
“Frontex and Greek authorities continue to deny pushbacks occur…despite mounting evidence gathered by lawyers and aid workers on the ground”
Guardian, 26 June
Calls for investigation over deaths in Moroccan-Spanish border crossing
“Walking Borders joined others in calling for an investigation into what ranks as the deadliest day in recent memory along the section of the EU’s only land border with Africa.”
Civil liberties
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, 4 July
United Kingdom: backsliding on human rights must be prevented
“proposed legal reforms might weaken human rights protections… and it sends the wrong signal beyond the country’s borders at a time when human rights are under pressure throughout Europe”
Policing
BBC, 30 June
UK: Police searches of young black men to be reviewed
“Footage of all police searches of black men aged between 18-34 are to be reviewed. The move comes as black and Asian men continue to be disproportionately affected by stop and search”
Privacy and data protection
EDPS, 27 June
Amended Europol Regulation weakens data protection supervision
“The amended Regulation expands considerably the mandate with regard to exchanges of personal data with private parties, use of AI and processing of large datasets”
Secrecy and transparency
euobserver, 4 July
EU Parliament sued over secrecy on Nazi MEP expenses
“The European Parliament is being sued for refusing to show how jailed neo-Nazi and MEP, Ioannis Lagos, spent EU taxpayer money on himself.”
Security and intelligence
Matthias Monroy, 26 June
Maritime surveillance: Spy satellites in Frontex operation
“Electronic intelligence from space has long been the business of intelligence agencies and military. Miniaturized tech and Musk’s SpaceX now make this interesting for border agencies”
Surveillance
Tech Crunch, 29 June
UK urgently needs new laws on use of biometrics, warns review
“Among the legal review’s recommendations are that public use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology be suspended pending creation of a legally binding code of practice governing its use”
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The New Dark Age 