Digital surveillance technologies have become an instrumental element of Fortress Europe. From drones used by Frontex to patrol borders and coordinate push-back operations, to automated profiling systems imposed by welfare authorities, the use of technologies and data-based systems affects all aspects of life of migrants and racialised people.
European policies have been coopted to legalise illegal and violent border practices, and make the EU war on migrants the norm.
The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, adopted in 2024 and implemented as of June 2026, represented a critical turning point for the creation of the EU regime of migrant surveillance, as denounced by our coalition. The new Pact, which is a package of legislative proposals and recommendations, cements the surveillance-based and violent approach to migration of the EU based on detention, criminalisation and deportations - and it’s completely reliance on violent digital infrastructures to function.
The Pact is the fruit of decades of EU policy-making geared towards normalising digital surveillance against migrants, via biometric surveillance, or the interoperability of huge databases. While the Pact represents a tuning point, it is not the end to the EU’s ambitions to expand its digital surveillance infrastructure and turn it against any form of dissent.
This project emerged from the need to uncover the pervasive nature of digital surveillance measures in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, and expose what type of abusive tech-based practices are hidden in its various legal instruments. Our objective is to bring light on what new forms of tech surveillance will be used against us and our communities – by exposing surveillance, we want to enable resistance against it.
For this reason, we decided that this tool had to be created together with the people who we hope will be able to use it in their work, organising against border violence. We want to show special gratitude to those who joined us in this process and took the time to contribute to the creation of this resource: Adla Shashati, Greek Forum of Migrants; Brirmi jihed, M/V Louise Michel SAR PROJECT; Cheikh Diop, Top Manta Madrid; Eva Ehoke, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice; Leila Belhadj Mohamed, independent journalist; Maria Pawliszewska, Sea-Watch e.V.; Niovi Vavoula, University of Luxembourg; Selam Tesfaye, Social Metix ETS. This project could have not seen the light without the participation of Iyo Bisseck, who was able to translate complex political intersections that generate violence, into a beautiful tool of empowerment.
Finally, please note that our dataset is not comprehensive of all tech-facilitated practices stemming from EU migration policies – and it is not meant to be.
While this mapping is focused on the practices emerging from the Pact, we want to offer a picture of how all EU migration-related policies are interconnected and are instrumental to the thriving of an EU digital surveillance state – which will not only impact migrants, but anyone acting in solidarity and standing up against EU repression of public dissent.
The Protect Not Surveil coalition is a group of organisations, researchers, activists and more working to challenge dangerous, techno-solutionist approaches in EU legislation, policy and practice. We promote digital justice solutions that centres the experience and perspective of directly affected communities.
Our mission is to challenge the use of digital technologies at different levels of EU policies and advocate for the ability of people to move and to seek safety and opportunity without risking harm, surveillance or discrimination.