1/5 🚨 European Commission slammed for breaching transparency laws 🚨
🔎 The European Ombudsperson has found that the Commission disregarded important transparency rules while preparing the #Europol Regulation, which is a part of the legislation to "counter migrant smuggling" ➡️ https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/press-release/en/215989
The Ombudsperson's inquiry follows a complaint lodged by @edri and Platform for Undocumented Migrants (@PICUM) on behalf of the #ProtectNotSurveil coalition 👏🏾
2/5 ❌ The inquiry concluded that the Commission didn't provide enough evidence to justify the claims of "urgency" to bypass their own 'Better Regulation' rules, and skipping public consultations, thorough impact assessments and evidence gathering.
3/5 🙅🏾♀️ The Europol Regulation would significantly expand the agency’s #surveillance powers, puting vulnerable communities including migrants, aid workers & human rights defenders at risk. The Ombudsperson's findings deepen public distrust in Europol's expanded powers, which have been given with little accountability.
The Commission has long been guilty of systemically ignoring its own lawmaking rules when it comes to #migration and law enforcement - it's about time they were called out on it 📣
