We are an EU watchdog with members organisations across Europe promoting & protecting human rights against. Who are we? Human rights give us the tools to build the lives we want to live, and the communities we want to live in. The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) is a watchdog that safeguards the human rights of everyone in the European Union. Our team is made up of experts in human rights and communications. We work closely with our network of members in Brussels and across 18 EU countries. We are registered as a non-governmental organisation in Berlin and have a presence in Brussels. What is our purpose? We believe that everyone in the EU should be able to enjoy and use their basic rights and freedoms. The EU has a lot of power and influence over what happens in EU countries. Because of this, we try to influence the EU to do three things. First, when the EU makes laws and policies, we want the EU to leave our freedoms intact. Second, when governments or corporations threaten our rights, we want the EU to step in and protect us. Third, we want the EU to use its powers to make it easier for everyone to use their rights. How do we do it? We collaborate with our network of members and use four different tools to influence the EU and national governments to uphold everyone’s rights. First, we use advocacy. This means we use our expertise to explain to people working in the EU institutions and national governments why and how they should uphold human rights. Second, we help our members litigate. That means we give our members expertise on EU law to use in court cases, and we help our members take cases simultaneously in different EU countries. Third, we use public mobilisation. We talk directly to you, the public, about the problems we’re working on so you can spread the word and help us put pressure on the EU and national governments to solve them. Finally, we train NGOs on communications. Want to talk? Drop us a note!
Civil Liberties Union for Europe的外部链接
DE，Berlin
Lately, we have been working on the latest edition of our Rule of Law Report, the 6th since 2019, which will be released soon. As a shadow report, our edition mirrors the European Commission's structure and is being compiled and reviewed by over 40 organizations and hundreds of human rights defenders across the EU. There's a lot to unfold, but we want to focus on the issues that matter most to you. Help us make #rolreport2025 even more impactful.
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Civil Liberties Union for Europe转发了
?? ?????????????? ?????? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ?? ?????????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???????????????????? RECLAIM and Transparency International EU, together with 15 other NGOs, sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron and French Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-No?l Barrot, calling France to join the court case against Hungary’s “Sovereignty Protection Law”. ?? France and the rest of the Member States should take immediate action to protect NGOs and independent journalists in Hungary and the EU. ?? Read our statement below. ??????????????????????: Amnesty International Civil Liberties Union for Europe Committee to Protect Journalists Democracy Reporting International European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) European Civic Forum European Federation of Journalists FIDH - International Federation for Human Rights Human Rights Watch Ligue des droits de l'Homme Media Diversity Institute Netherlands Helsinki Committee RECLAIM Reporters Without Borders (RSF) The Good Lobby Profs Transparency International EU Transparency International France #civilrights #eulaw #actnow #humanrights
Now or Never: Strengthen #GDPR Procedural Rules to Hold Big Tech Accountable Once and for All The Civil Liberties Union for Europe with 30+ digital rights organisations express our concern regarding the development of the proposed GDPR Procedural Regulation, which we believe represents a missed opportunity to address longstanding enforcement challenges effectively. We urge EU legislators to: 1. Prioritise this legislative initiative as an essential part of the backbone of EU digital law enforcement. The GDPR Procedural Regulation is critical to strengthening the currently flawed effectiveness of the EU’s data protection framework and fostering a fair digital ecosystem. 2. Revisit problematic provisions and preliminary trilogue agreements. Current draft texts, particularly Article 5, 19 and 21, seem to include loopholes that would risk perpetuating inefficiencies and abuses, notably regarding the asymmetry between individual complainants and powerful companies. These must be addressed to create a robust framework. 3. Keep in mind the law’s objectives: ensuring procedures that are shorter, efficient, and rights-respecting. However, be also wary of provisions that may appear beneficial in theory by streamlining processes but risk becoming unworkable in practice, ultimately creating bureaucratic deadlock and further eroding individuals’ rights, such as Articles 11 to 16 and the proposed Article 6bis. 4. Allow sufficient time for negotiations and consult with experts. Rushing this process, as we have seen thus far, risks compromising the Regulation’s integrity and effectiveness, particularly in safeguarding rights. In procedural law, every detail matters and must properly interact with each other. The implications of each provision must be carefully evaluated. Legal clarity and consistency are essential for a successful outcome. 5. Strengthen safeguards for data subjects in cross-border cases. The Regulation must guarantee consistent, timely, and rights-respecting enforcement across the EU/ EEA, restoring trust in GDPR mechanisms and ensuring full respect of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. This includes securing symmetrical right to be heard and equal access to case files for both parties. Read more here ?? https://lnkd.in/dpRaZisp
The Digital Services Act (#DSA) has been in effect for almost a year. Liberties & partners took a closer look at the national implementation of the EU digital law. Compared to other countries, #Germany performs relatively well. Find out more in netzpolitik.org (in German ????) https://lnkd.in/dV2mEc3R
Are EU Member States Meeting the Challenge Set By DSA? As the EU takes bold steps to regulate the digital space, the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) varies significantly across Member States. Our latest research reveals key gaps in the independence and effectiveness of Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs)—the national authorities responsible for enforcing the DSA. ?? Key Findings ?While most countries legally recognize DSCs as independent, financial autonomy is not always guaranteed. ?Political influence over appointments and decision-making remains a concern in many states. ?The lack of safeguards against private sector influence, such as ‘revolving door’ policies, weakens regulatory integrity. ?Transparency and public accountability mechanisms differ widely, creating enforcement challenges. ?? Recommendations for Stronger Oversight ? Codify DSC independence at the highest legal level. ? Establish independent advisory councils for merit-based appointments. ? Introduce strict safeguards against conflicts of interest, including revolving door policies. ? Ensure regular parliamentary oversight and public reporting to enhance transparency. Strengthening DSCs is essential to uphold democratic values, protect citizens’ rights online, and maintain the EU’s leadership in digital governance. Now is the time for policymakers to take action. ?? Read our full research findings and recommendations: #DigitalGovernance #DSA #Regulation #TechPolicy #DigitalRights #EURegulation
Civil Liberties Union for Europe转发了
? ?? Kicking off something exciting! This Monday in Berlin European Digital Rights, European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting and Lighthouse Reports hosted the first learning session of our new project, designed to build a sustainable space for collaboration in the digital rights sphere between investigative journalists and civil society. The idea? Strengthen connections, share knowledge and needs, protect journalists from surveillance and support impactful investigations on digital rights. ?? The first workshop was a deep dive into how we can work together more effectively. We shared ongoing digital rights investigations, covered access to EU and State documents as investigative tools, the latest EU policy shifts on digital files - including migration and surveillance - , and we already generated some potential joint ventures... ? And what a group we had! Great investigative outlets like IrpiMedia, Fada Collective, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) Re:Baltica or Solomon joined forces with dedicated civil society groups such as Statewatch, Corporate Europe Observatory, AlgorithmWatch, Amnesty International, Civil Liberties Union for Europe, Seek Initiative, Border Violence Monitoring Network, Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte e.V. or the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), and journalists' rights organisations as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) - and the energy in the room was revitalising. It also made me remember why I studied journalism in the first place ?? . A huge thank you to everyone who joined, and looking forward to the next one. BTW: If anyone is interested in the project, feel free to drop me a message and I will let you know more about it ;)
Snakes, Interns, AI, Framing & Sneak Peak In Our Upcoming Projects - all in our latest recap newsletter ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ?? ???
?? All aboard! The European Commission's annual Rule of Law 2025 tour (aka country visits) kicks off in 2 weeks. Here's what you need to know: The European Commission will visit EU member states to collect input for its #RuleofLaw report. Meetings will be held with local authorities, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders to gather first-hand insights. At these meetings, Liberties’ member organizations and partners contributing to our own shadow report will also be present. They'll provide essential data on corruption, media freedom, checks and balances, and justice systems. ?? Liberties will soon publish its annual Rule of Law shadow report—compiled with input from over 40 local organizations across 22 member states. At more than 600 pages, it's the most detailed independent shadow report submitted to the Commission. Alongside country reports, we'll also release trend analyses, showing how the pillars of democracy are faring across the EU. Until our new report drops, take a look back at last year's findings and analyses: https://lnkd.in/d2kPtj-T Stay tuned for updates on #RoLReport2025. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dVnygd4T
??Police Deports Activists Attending Workshop in #Belgrade?? Foreign NGO staffers attending capacity building workshops in #Belgrade were interrogated and then banned from #Serbia as a "security risk" on Wednesday. Liberties joins over 370 civil society organisations condemning the incident and urging the Serbian authorities to provide a transparent explanation for these unreasonable and illegitimate actions against civic activists from EU member and candidate countries, and to ensure that such unjust treatment does not occur again.? Liberties also alarmed the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament about the developments. Please share this with those who might be interested in this matter. Read our joint statement coordinated by SOLIDARNA Foundation. https://lnkd.in/dKiYsa8W