EU: Stop criminalising migration in the Facilitator’s Package law

When the European Commission published the Facilitator’s Package in 2023, its stated goal was to protect migrants from being exploited by “professional smugglers” and undertaking dangerous journeys to Europe.

In reality, the Package’s proposed Facilitation Directive criminalises migrants and human rights defenders instead of targeting organised crime networks, and the Europol Regulation unlawfully expands the agency’s powers and resources by capitalising on right-wing politicisation of migration.

It ignores the EU’s role in restricting regular routes for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and contributing to environmental, political and economic instability in their home countries – forcing them to seek life-threatening alternatives.

A red life jacket in the waves of the central Mediterranean

The EU must:

1. AMEND THE FACILITATION DIRECTIVE TO PROTECT MIGRANTS BY INCLUDING

a. A clear legal definition of smuggling as a for-profit activity aligned with existing international standards

b. An explicit and legally binding humanitarian exemption that protects migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, their families, and human rights defenders from being charged with smuggling

2. REJECT THE EUROPOL REGULATION IN ITS ENTIRETY

a. Unlawful – the proposal expands the agency’s powers beyond its ‘cooperation’ mandate and above Member State competencies

b. Unsafe – the proposed increase in Europol’s mass data collection mandate risks widespread violations of privacy and fundamental rights, as denounced by the European Data Protection Supervisor. It also pushes data sharing with known human rights violators Frontex and third countries

c. Unsubstantiated – the proposal was presented without a proper impact assessment, going against the EU’s own Better Regulation Guidelines. The European Parliament’s substitute impact assessment calls into question the effectiveness and lawfulness of the proposal.

The Package is simply a continuation of the erosion of the right to seek asylum and the criminalisation of human movement laid down by the 2024 Migration and Asylum Pact. It feeds into right-wing fear mongering around migration and promotes a criminal law response to a social phenomenon.

The EU continues to pour millions into violent criminal law approaches to migration that do not work. Public resources must instead be reallocated towards a system that meets the care and protection needs of all people, rather than targeting the most vulnerable.

Sarah Chander, Director, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice

“EU border policies create the criminal conditions under which people resort to networks in order to move. Lawmakers of the Facilitators Package face a political choice. They can direct the powers of the criminal law, policy, funding and personnel toward the purpose of punishing people in need, or focus on protecting people on the move and those in solidarity with them. The choice is simple.”

Chloé Berthélémy, EDRi

“The fight against so-called ‘migrant smuggling’ is an insidious pretext to unlawfully expand Europol’s powers. Turning Europol’s NSA-style surveillance capabilities against migrants and human right defenders will only lead to more pushbacks, violence and deaths at the EU borders. So not only it is hypocritical, but also extremely harmful. The only solution is the rejection of this Europol reform proposal.”

Dorothee Krämer, Advocacy Officer for Sea-Watch

“The rage of European member states to punish people for seeking safety is out of control. Thousands are arrested and thrown in jail each year, often in trials that fail to uphold legal standards, simply for trying to exercise their right to asylum. But more repression won't put an end to the dying at sea. The only way to avoid irregular entrance, is regular entrance and freedom of movement for all.”

Signatories

Organisations:

#DiasporaVote!

Ação Pela Identidade – API

Access Now

Action Aid

Africa Advocacy Foundation

All African Women’s Group

ALMA Community Therapies

Almena Cooperativa Feminista

Àltera APS

Alternatif Bilisim

APDHA-Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía

Apna Haq

Ariadni AMKE

Asociación Por Ti Mujer

BePax

Biznegra

Boat Refugee Foundation

Border Violence Monitoring Network

CADO-Advocacy and Human Rights Center

Changemakers Lab

Comitato 3 Ottobre – Accoglienza ETS

Community Rights in Greece

CompassCollective

Coordinadora Obrim Fronteres

CPT – Aegean Migrant Solidarity

Creación Positiva

de:criminalize

Digitale Gesellschaft (Germany)

Equal Legal Aid

Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice

European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN)

European Civic Forum

European Network Against Racism (ENAR)

European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA)

Fédération des tunisiens citoyens des deux rives (FTCR)

Filipino Women’s Council

Flüchtlingshilfe Iran e.V

forRefugees

Fuga.coop

German NGO Network against Trafficking in Human Beings – KOK

Global Asylum Seeker Human Rights Defenders Committee (GASHDC)

Global Women Against Deportations

Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)

Greek Forum of Migrants

Hermes Center

Hoatzin

Hoffnung leben e.V.

Homo Digitalis

Human Rights Legal Project

Humanity Diaspo ONG

ILEX- Acción Juridica

Intereuropean Human Aid Association

International Coalition for People of African Descent ICPAD

International Service for Human Rights

International Women* Space

INTERSOS HELLAS

Islamic Human Rights Commission

Kif Kif vzw

Lafede.cat – Organitzacions per la Justícia Global

Legal Centre Lesvos

Love Without Borders

Migrant Tales

Migration Consortium

Mobile Info Team

Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI)

New Bulgarian University

New Women Connectors

No Name Kitchen

Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality

Northern Lights Aid

Northern Police Monitoring Project

Ona bros

Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)

Podlaskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Humanitarne

Politiscope

Privacy International

QueeriséEs

Racism and Technology Center

Refugee Legal Support (RLS)

Refugees in Libya

Revibra

Romnja Feminist Library

Samos Volunteers

Saplinq, o.z.

SARAH gUG

Sea-Eye e.V.

Sea-Watch e.V.

Seebrücke

SOLIDAR

Solidary Wheels

SOS Humanity e.V.

Spazio di Mutuo Soccorso

SPECTRUM

Statewatch

SUPERRR Lab

The Channel Monitoring Project

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)

The Institute for Technology in the Public Interest (TITiPI)

Transnational Institute

Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights FTDES

Über den Tellerrand e.V.

UHURU VALENCIA

UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab- People of African Descent & SDGs E-Team

United African Women Organization

Up

Utopia 56

Vasilika Moon – La Luna di Vasilika NPO

WeMove Europe

WIDE+ (Women In Development Europe+)

Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike

DIOTIMA

Individuals:

Afrika Inkindi

Anna Gruber

Anouar El Hajjami-Jarri

Asher Serrana

Asli Telli

Astrid Schreiber

Blanca Callén Moreu

Carlos José Marques Salgado

Charito Basa

Daniela Schneider

Diana Podar

Doreen Olivia Williams

Dorrie Wilson

Dr Adi Kuntsman

Elisa Damaso

Emma Martín Díaz

Ewa Trojanowska

Felix Diaz Martinez

Georgia Brooks

Glenn Leihner-Guarin

Ivana Stojanova

Iyo Bisseck

Jara Henar

Jessica Machacova

Karolina Mazurek

Katarina Baltar

Katarzyna Anna Augustynek

Kayra vee Martinez

Laïla B

Lamar Bailey Karamañites

Laurenz Koppenhagen

Leonie Mensel

Luka Mester

Lutz Bucklitsch

Mafe Moscoso

Maisy Vincent

Marek Męczyński

Marga Burgui Artajo

Mariam Camilla Rechchad

Mhe Hakobyan

Misamu Nzabi

Mouhieddine Cherbib

Olga Lubicz

Ona Bros

Osman Vatansever

Paulino Gonzalez

Piotr Fijałkowski – Obywatele RP

Prof. Jan Tobias Muehlberg

Robert Krzysztoń

Romdhane Ben Amor

Selamauyt Tesfaye

Stella Nyanzi

Susana Mariano Anastácio

Tamara Rubin

Terri Beswick

Vinya Mehta

Additional resources

Analysis and recommendations from:

#ProtectNotSurveil coalition

Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice

PICUM

Initiated by: #ProtectNotSurveil Coalition, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice