The policies of the European Union and its member States regarding external border control and the criminalization of migration are part of a broader trend of a gradual erosion of human rights protections. The criminalization of migrants and of organizations working to save lives in the Mediterranean contributes to an increase in the number of deaths, as denounced by the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) in its Judgement from the 56th session on human rights violations against migrants by the Maghreb States, the European Union, and some of its member States (Palermo, Sabir Festival, October 23–25, 2025).
The Brussels initiative follows on from and complements the first presentation of the Judgement held in Rabat on March 31. While the Rabat meeting (Link to the video) focused on an in-depth analysis of the situation in the Maghreb, the Brussels event will instead focus on the role and responsibilities of the European Union.
