Brussels, July 17 – In a bold protest against Frontex’s attempt to intimidate the search and rescue organization Sea-Watch, the NGO has unloaded around 700 life vests outside the EU border agency’s Brussels office. The striking visual protest follows Frontex’s recent demand that Sea-Watch pay legal costs after their 2024 court case at the EU General Court — despite repeated calls from the European Parliament urging Frontex not to burden civil plaintiffs with such costs. The 700 life vests thereby symbolize the 700 lives that could be saved with the more than 11,000€ demanded by the EU agency. Sea-Watch demands the immediate withdrawal of the payment demand.
Background: In April 2022, Sea-Watch together with the organization FragDenStaat, filed a lawsuit for releasing information proving Frontex’s involvement in human rights violations on the Mediterranean Sea. A Frontex asset was allegedly involved in the illegal interception of around 20 people in distress by the so-called Libyan coastguard in the Maltese Search and Rescue zone. Frontex had previously refused all requests under the Freedom of Information Regulation. In April 2024, the EU General Court rejected the complaint. It, however, explicitly acknowledged that Frontex unlawfully failed to disclose the existence of over a hundred of photographs. The court found that the refusal of access to these photographs was not justified.
Following the ruling, the border agency Frontex demanded more than 11,000€ to be paid for court costs by the civil search and rescue organization Sea-Watch in May 2025. The demand was issued despite repeated resolutions of the European Parliament urging Frontex not to burden civil plaintiffs with such costs.
The Sea-Watch protest comes just one day after the European Commission’s new budget proposal, which calls for a threefold increase in investments in migration deterrence and border fortification—while providing no funds for people drowning at sea.
Giulia Messmer, spokesperson of Sea-Watch: „11.000€ mean 700 lives! We will not be intimidated by an agency that institutionalizes human rights abuses at sea. Our answer to this payment demand is clear: we will use the money to rescue lives at sea where Frontex does not.“
At the same time as the protest, Sea-Watch sent a letter to Frontex director Hans Leijtens calling for the drop of the payment demand – in alliance with more than 30 human and civil rights organizations such as PICUM, Privacy International and FragDenStaat.
