Statewatch

Home / News / 2026 / April / Europol seeks a new director to 'shape the agency's future' Topic Europol Data protection Frontex Country/Region 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.

Home / Analyses / 2026 / The decline of rights under UK’s Labour: 2024-2026 Topic Policing Civil liberties Human rights Country/Region 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.

Home / News / 2026 / April / The hidden EU funds behind violence at sea Topic Country/Region EU Libya Italy 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.

Home / News / 2026 / March / A transition for Statewatch In this video interview, Chris Jones and Alamara Khwaja Bettum discuss Statewatch's past, present and future. They review Chris's last 15 years of Statewatch and his thoughts on the current and future state of politics, civil liberties and activism. Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month. Until last year, Statewatch had only had two executive directors since its inception 35 years ago.

Home / News / 2026 / March / EU border externalisation: updates for Iraq and Bangladesh Topic Country/Region EU Iraq Bangladesh Two 'action files' obtained by Statewatch update European government ministers on the state of counter-migration spending and projects in Bangladesh and Iraq. Both countries were recently reported by the EU to be cooperating more on deportations of their citizens from Europe, and these 'action files' reveal considerable effort from the EU to further restrict migration.

Home / News / 2026 / March / Frontex's European blackmail over migrants’ ‘voluntary’ returns Topic Deportation Frontex Borders Country/Region With a 2.2% increase in so-called 'voluntary' returns over the last six years, and a budget in excess of €1 billion, Frontex is fast becoming the protagonist in Europe's border control policy Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month. By Luca Rondi, journalist at Altreconomia. Translation from Italian by Elena Milani.

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Home / News / 2026 / February / EU border externalisation: updates for Iraq and Bangladesh Topic Country/Region EU Iraq Bangladesh Two 'action files' obtained by Statewatch update European government ministers on the state of counter-migration spending and projects in Bangladesh and Iraq.

Home / News / 2026 / February / The EU targets Guinea for visa punishment: a sign of what's to come Topic Country/Region On 15 July 2025, the European Commission proposed punitive visa sanctions against Guinea, marking an escalation in its campaign to force third countries to cooperate on deportations. This move, based on Article 25a of the EU Visa Code, cites Guinea’s persistent “failure to cooperate sufficiently” with the EU’s deportations agenda.

Home / News / 2026 / February / The US demands exemptions for military and diplomatic staff in the EU’s digital borders system Topic Country/Region The US has demanded the EU give preferential treatment to its diplomatic, military and other personnel, exempting them from mandatory fingerprinting and facial scanning at the borders of the Schengen zone. An internal note from the Council of the EU provides guidance to member states on how to be “flexible”.