EU response to the growing phenomenon of transnational repression

12.2.2024

Question for written answer  E-000459/2024
to the Commission
Rule 138
Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE), Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D), Katalin Cseh (Renew), Miguel Urbán Crespo (The Left), Janina Ochojska (PPE)

In its February 2023 conclusions, the Foreign Affairs Council[1] stressed that the EU would ‘pay special attention to […] transnational repression’. In March 2023, Parliament[2] echoed calls to tackle threats of transnational repression within the EU as a matter of priority. Many reports have documented patterns of governments repressing, threatening and harming their nationals beyond their borders, including in the EU.

• 1.Has the Commission raised concerns with third-country governments involved in transnational repression against their nationals in the EU or in other countries, and if so, with which governments?
• 2.What steps have been taken, within the Commission’s competences, to address transnational repression in EU Member States, to improve prevention and protection, to address the use of spyware in this context and to increase the chance of holding those responsible to account?
• 3.What other steps has the Commission taken to tackle transnational repression as a global trend, to ensure that it does not affect refugees, asylum seekers and naturalised citizens in the EU and to make certain that EU members prevent transnational repression and are not complicit in it (through funding, security cooperation and assistance)?

Submitted:12.2.2024

• [1] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/02/20/council-conclusions-on-eu-priorities-in-un-human-rights-fora-2023/.
• [2] European Parliament resolution of 16 March 2023 on the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders (OJ C, C/2023/409, 23.11.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/409/oj).