Brussels, 20/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Migreurop is a coalition of charities active in the area of immigration and is similar to the non-profit making Belgian organisation CIRE or CNCD 11.11.11. On Wednesday, 20 March in Brussels and Nouakchott in Mauritania, it launched its “Frontexit” campaign, which calls on the EU to ensure that its border policy is more respectful of migrants' rights. The organisations involved have the backing of the Greens/EFA and are seeking to shed more light on the practices of the Frontex agency, which, they believe, lack transparency and raises a number of questions about respect for human rights. Campaign organisers say that “the EU is spending millions of euro on a quasi-military mechanism”.
Frontexit is supported by 21 different associations, researchers and individuals from civil society in the northern and southern Mediterranean and enjoys support from Belgium, Cameroon, France, Italy, Mali, Morocco and Mauritania, as well as from international organisations and Euro-African networks. On 28 March, the campaign will be launched again at the World Social Forum in Tunis, states a press release.
The associations aim to shed light on action carried out by Frontex and seek, ultimately, to obtain the suspension of its activities if it were to be shown that they have contravened fundamental rights.
Frontex was set up in 2004 and coordinates surveillance of the EU's external borders by the member states. In 2011, a new regulation was introduced, granting it more resources and equipment but also making it obligatory for the organisation to appoint a supervisor responsible for the protection of fundamental rights. (SP/transl.fl)