Remote control: the EU-Libya collaboration in mass interceptions of migrants in the Central Mediterranean

The report “Remote control: the EU-Libya collaboration in mass interceptions of migrants in the Central Mediterranean” outlines and describes actions taken by EU aerial surveillance units in mass interceptions off the coast of Libya. Alarm Phone, borderline-europe, Mediterranea and Sea-Watch have directly witnessed and documented illegal push- and pull-backs to Libya coordinated by European authorities, such as Frontex and EUNAVFOR Med, and implemented by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, an EU-funded and trained group of militias with a track record of blatant human rights violations and collaboration with people smugglers. The report contains the reconstruction of three specific search and rescue (SAR) events which ended in interceptions and returns to Libya by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. It provides the legal background of the violations incurred and an analysis of how the collaboration between the EU and the so-called Libyan Coast Guard works operationally, with a focus on aerial coordination. You can find the full report and videos of the outlined cases on the website eu-libya.info

Language(s): Englisch / English
Publisher: AlarmPhone, Sea-Watch, Mediterranea und borderline-europe

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News from Italy - Scirocco Nr. 2 2025

Scirocco [ʃiˈrɔkko-Scirocco] is a southeasterly, hot strong wind that carries dust and sand across the Mediterranean Sea to Sicily and the north of Italy for often only a few hours. This short info is published since March 2021, currently every month. The current issue of Scirocco deals with the tightening of EU repatriation regulations for migrants, the uncertain future of the Italy-Albania deal, the legal success in the Diciotti case as well as protests and the precarious conditions of refugees in Italy. English version will follow soon.
Language(s): Deutsch / German

‘Unwanted’ - extraterritorialisation of border procedures and tightening of deportation regulations in Italy. Is resistance still possible?

On 11 March 2025, the EU Commission presented its new proposal for the Return Regulation. Deportation regulations are set to be significantly tightened, with renewed discussions around the establishment of so-called ‘return hubs’. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission, is proposing that these detention centres for deportees should also be located in non-EU countries – qualified as so-called “safe third countries” (SCO) (art. 38, Asylum Procedure Directive). So is the Italian government's ‘Albania solution’ back on the table? In our previous article, we asked why Italy is putting so much emphasis on this expensive and, as we will see below, ill-conceived agreement between Italy and Albania. Looking again into the Italian situation, including the “current stop” to the implementation of the Italy-Albania protocol, the direct governmental attack to the autonomy of the judicial power, and the main challenges it entails for the rule of law, is essential to understand the recent policy developments at the EU level concerning asylum and returns.
Language(s): Deutsch / German

Jahresbericht 2023: Widerstand gegen das europäische Grenzregime

2023 war kein gutes Jahr für die Menschenrechte. Kriege, Konflikte, wirtschaftliche Not und klimatische Veränderungen haben viele Menschen gezwungen, ihre Heimat zu verlassen. Gleichzeitig konnten wir eine fortschreitende Externalisierung der EU-Außengrenzen beobachten. Politisch scheint in der EU alles dafür getan zu werden, die Festung Europa zu stärken. Damit sollen möglichst viele Menschen davon abgehalten werden, Schutz in der EU zu suchen. Die Leidtragenden all dieser Entwicklungen sind, wie immer, die Flüchtenden selbst. Bei alldem können wir nicht tatenlos zuschauen. Deshalb haben wir auch 2023 kritisch beobachtet, dokumentiert, informiert und interveniert. Die Ergebnisse unserer Arbeit findet ihr im folgenden Bericht.
Language(s): Deutsch / German