Port State inspections of Sea Watch vessels used exclusively for rescuing people at sea comply with EU law, but the port State must demonstrate the existence of a clear risk to safety, health or the environment in order to adopt detention measures, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in early August (cases C-14&15/21).
The German NGO Sea Watch considered the detention measures taken by the harbour masters’ offices of the Sicilian ports of Palermo and Porto Empedocle against...