Company registration number- 08480724 Charity registration number- 1154784 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch {A company limited by guarantee) Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 Field Sullivan Limited 9 Hare & Billet Road Blackheath SE3 ORB The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Contents Reference and Administrative Details Trustees, Report 2to26 Independent Examiner'5 Report 27to28 Statement of Financial Activities 29to30 Balance Sheet 31to32 Notes to the Financial Statements 33to45 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Reference and Administrative Details Trustees Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche Laure Baudrihaye-Gérard Jonathan Bloch Victoria Canning Nadine Finch Secretary Jonathan Bloch Chartty Registration Number 1154784 Company Registration Number 08480724 The charity is incorporated in England and Wales. 88 Fleet Street London EC4Y IDH Registered OfFice Independent Examiner Field Sullivan Limited 9 Hare & Billet Road Blackheath SE3 ORB Page I The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report The trustees present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. Introduction 2024 made even clear what many of us have been saying for some time: authoritarianism and racism are firmly on the rise, and despite many brave and important struggles against it. definitive responses are yet to be found. Our work throughout the year reflected this ongoing tension- it also shows reasons for optimism, despite the gloomy political outlook. We exposed, reported on and analysed ongoing attempts to undermine the rule of law, basic rights and liberties, and democratic safeguards.. plans to offshore asylum processing- the influencing of police and internal security officials over new laws,. increased surveillance powers- and crackdowns on protest and free speech. In doing so, we continued to provide a vital resource for activists, advocates, journalists and others. That reporting and analysis is, in and of itself. a form of opposition to these nefarious developments. Within the terms of our charitable status. we also gave our support to movements and campaigns seeking to oppose them more directly: amongst others, those demanding that states uphold the rights of refugees and the right to asylum- halt new measures for ethnic Profiling,. ensure democratic scrutiny of border externalisation policies- ban invasive and authoritarian surveillance technologies: and to halt European governments, complicity in breaches of international law in Palestine. That complicity has helped iu further derail and undermine the internatlonal norms and Institution5 creaied 10 halt military violence against civilians and civil infrastructure. Thi5 has had horrifying consequences for those subject to displacement, and to attacks on the ground and from the air. Faced with widespread popular protest against these positions. many European governments have resorted to unjustifiable restrictions on protest and freedom of speech, including through the use of criminal and anti-terrorism laws. It is however by no means an entirely new situation. Foreign policy has always been linked to domestic repression and rights abuses. It was demonstrations against the Vietnam War in 1968 that led to the formation of Britain's Special Demonstration Squad. an undercover police unit tasked with infiltrating and undermining left-wing and progressive movements. Europe's strategic alliance with Turkey means supporters of Kurdish autonomy and independence continue to face suspicion {at the very least) from European authorities. The 'war on terrorf was and is animated by racism and criminalisation, in particular against Muslims - but it was prefigured by history, such as the British response to campaigns for self-determination in Ireland and other colonies. As Tony Bunyan, Statewatch's founder, Director11991-20201 and Director Emeritus {2020-24} wrote in 2006- Five years on we know that the 'war on terrorism, is going to be permanent. not temporary. This is not just because of 11 March 2004 (Madrid). 7 and 21 July 2005 (London) and terrible terrori5t bombings elsewhere. It is also because the pre-conditions for further attacks persist and show no signs of abatin8 Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, US militarism. Guantanamo Bay. rendition and global free market economics which perpetuate poverty and gross inequality. Page 2 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report In September last year, Tony passed away. Though age slowed him towards the end of his life, his commitment to the cause never wavered: he was constantly planning. plotting and proposing. He was born in 1941, and his early experiences and involvement in political activism in the 1960s and 19705 profoundly influenced his outlook on the world for the rest of his remarkable life. He made profound contributions to the Struggle against state secrecy and for civil liberties. and while he himself never set foot outside Europe, he was deeply-aware of and informed by political events and struggles elsewhere in the world. He took this view with him when he founded Statewatch. along with a similar-minded group of other activists, journalists and lawyers in 1991. We have always been primarily concerned with the state of civil liberties in the European Union and the UK. but Europe is not an isolated island the very reason it remains one of the richest parts of the world is because plunder, exploitation and expropriation carried out elsewhere. This history, the present it has created. and the implications of both are becoming increasingly well-known though there of course legions of people doggedly opposed to honest discussion and dissection of the legacies of racism, colonialism and empire. It is this latter group that have been in the political ascendancy for some time now. Halting their ongoing attacks on rights and liberties is no small task. but it is more urgent than ever. It would be simple to say that the results of failing to do so do not bear thinking about - but. in fact. the results of failure can already be Seen, from Los Angeles, to the Mediterranean Sea, to Gaza. With that in mind, it might seem difficult to be optimistic. Yet there are still many reasons for optimism. They can be seen throughout the campaigns and movements we worked alongside throughout 2024. and will continue to provide information and analysis to in the futlAre. And they can be seen in the 8rowÉng number of groups and organisations that, regardless of growing state repression. continue to stand up for the rights of themselves and others. It is these struggles that Statewatch has always sought to support with its work. Into 2025 and beyond we will build upon our legacy and past achievements. to increase our role in the struggle against state secrecy and repression, for rights and freedom5. and, ultimately, for a better world. Objertive I Strengthen civil SOCIet￿S access to inforniation Key developments and impart I trainin8 workshop on acoss to information 2 workshops on data protection. immlgration and asylum l onllne panel on digitslisation and the security state 80 news articles and 20 in-depth analyses SO official documents made public 9 publications in collaboration with other groups and individuals Visits to the Statewatth Library & Archive from students. lawyers and researcher5 Page 3 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report 1.1. Trainin and education: Worksho s and courses Objective.. Provide individuals and organisations with the skills and knowledge needed to investigate complex powers. policies. procedures and practices. Access to EU information and documents In January we led a training workshop for members of the Border Violence Monitoring Network IBVMNI. The workshop covered access to EU information and documents, in particular in relation to budgets for immigration and border controls. There were 14 people in attendance. The training was very well-received and BVMN have confirmed that they have used the knowledge and skills shared in their work. Data protection, immigration and asylum In November and December. we hosted the first two in a series of workshops on using data protection law to uphold the rights of migrants and refugees. The workshops form a key part of our project on data protection, immigration and asylum. The two workshops had a total of 30 attendees. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. with all the respondents to a survey Saying they would recommend the workshop to others interested in the topic. Further workshops were to be held in 2025. Digitalisation and the security state Material we produced in collaboration with Fundacion Karisma (Colombial on "digitalisation and the security state" were part of the curriculum for an online course run by the Transnational Institute. We moderated an online panel on the topic in mid-may. There were around 90 attendees. I:?. providin￿ resources for ri hts Objective: Work with national and international groups to support their campaigns and advocacy on EU justice and home affairs policies by making use of our unique level of access to official EU documents Over the course of the year, we published a total of 80 news articles and 20 analyses across all our thematic areas. Alongside these articles we published 50 internal EU documents that would not otherwise have been made public. Articles produced in cooperation with other organisations are detailed below. Others are detailed under the relevant headings in this report. These articles provided a vital resource for journalists. researchers and campaigners working on EU justice and home affairs policies, including many of those listed in the next two sections of this report. We cooperated with range of outlets and organisations to make documents and information public. We also published dozens of internal EU documents published as part of our bulletin on border externalisation Idiscussed further in section 2.3). EU funding for Israeli drones In March, we worked with the German organisation Informationsstelle Militarisierung IIMI. Information Centre on Militarisationl to publish an article on EU funding for Israeli drone technology. This revealed that drones supported with EU research funding being used in the war on Gaza. The article wa5 Cited multiple times in international press outlets. Page 4 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report The article followed our publication of a statement calling for the EU to stop providing research funding to Israeli entities. The statement was initiated and open for signature by academics. The initiators approached us to publish and host the statement, which ultimately received more than 500 signatures. It was subsequently cited in the press. Later in the year, we supported other initiatives on European support for Israel's war on Gaza: a statement condemning the renewal by the European Commission of 'data adequacw status for Israel,. a call to Suspend the Eu-lsrael Association Agreement- and the publication of a case filed at the ICC calling for the prosecution of Israeli officials for incitement to genocide. Who's using our work? 'EU funding drone technology used by Israel in Gaza war. claim monitors,, euronews 'EU funds multiple Israeli drone projects used in Gaza: Watchdogs,, Al Mayadeen 'Armi e droni made in Europe complici della devastazione della Striscia,, 11 Manifesto 'EU finanziert Drohnentechnik aus Israel.. nd 'Opazovalci: EU Financira tehnologijo brezpilotnih letal. ki jo je Izrael uporabljal v vojni v Gazi. Senior24 'BE financon teknologj-ine e droneve te perdorur nga Izraeli ne luften me Gazen, pohojne monitoruesit.. Klan Kosova 'Uni Eropa IUEI Danai Pengembangan Drone Israel yang Digunakan Serang Warga Gaza., Fusilat News 'L'argeni européen pour la 8uerre a Gaza: comment le financement de la recherche par I'UE soutient I'industrie israelienne de I'armemeny. Agence Media Palestine 'EU sponsert Israels Drohnen,. Junge Welt Frontex collaboratlon with the so-called Libyan coast guard With journalists from the Sveriges Television programme Mission Investigate. we jointly published an article on Frontex's collaboration with the so-called Libyan coast guard to arrange 'pullbacks' of the refugee boats in the Mediterranean. Digital technologies at European borders We worked with two organisations to produce magazine articles based on a report we published in 2023. on the digital technologies deployed at Europe's borders. Gisti, the publisher of Plein Droit. is a French organisation working on migrants. rights. and Welt Sichten is a magazine associated with the German anti-militarist movement. Who's using our work? 'Le techno-controle des migrations.. Plein Droit. 19 June 'Grenzschutz mit Drohnen und Datenkraken., Welt Sichten, 11 April Page 5 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report Frontex transparency and EU-Arab League police cooperation We co-published two articles with The New Arab in 2024. The first exposed how the EU Agenry for Law Enforcement Training ICEPOL) is collaborating with the Arab League's political extradition body in spite of its human rights obligations. The second examined how a complaint to the European Ombudsman had forced EU border agency Frontex to improve its transparency measures. Who's using our work? Bailiwick of Guernsey Data Protection Authority. 'Beyond our Shores-August'. 30 August EU-Tunisla mlgration deal We produced two articles in collaboration with migration-control.info that analysed leaked documents on the EU-Tunisia migration control deal. migration-control.info are the co-publishers of our bulletin on EU border externalisation (examined in more detail below). Police access to encrypted data Working with journalist and longstanding Statewatch contributor Staffan Dahllof, we obtained 3 Swedish government note circulated to other EU member states that called for weakening data protection safeguards to ease police access to data. An article based on the document was published by Euobserver. Who's using our work7 'How Sweden pushes for EU acces5 to encrypted data., Euobserver, 24 July Receptlon condltlons on the fjreek islands We supported the Boat Refugee Foundation with a number of access to documents requests to the European Commission about reception conditions on the Greek islands. The responses. due in 2025, were to form the basis of a report. Colonial continuities in migration control measures Working with our long-standing friends from Burgerrechte & Polizei. we published a translation of an article from their regular journal. on the colonial continuities in past and present migration control measures in the West Africa. 1.3. Learnin from histo 'activatin the Statewatch Libra & Archive Objective. Activate, our exLensive ￿brary & Archive through targeted events and output related to key themes in our work. in order to inform the present by learning from the past. Throughout the year we received visits from researchers, lawyers and students interested in exploring material in the Library & Archive, includinE'. a solicitor representing non-state core participants in the Undercover Policing Inquiry; international relations students from the interference/intervention in Global South countries- University of Westminster students from the University of Essex studying EU asylum law: researchin8 western Page 6 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report researchers from the Criminal Justice & Policing Accountability Project Ilndial, investigating policin& biometrics and surveillance during British colonial rule; and a filmmaker interested in producing video material to support our work. and a documentary on the history and activities of Statewatch. In January. we participated in the MayDay Rooms open day, which saw several dozen people visit the Library & Archive and learn about its history and content. In March, our Director also gave a presentation to post-graduate students at Gettysburg College IUSAI on the history and work of Statewatch. 1.4. Barriers to im lementin our ob"ertives Taking action against state 5ecrecv Objective.. Ensure compliance with the law and improve access to information for all The aim of thi5 objective was to take complaints to the European Ombudsman in order to improve access to information and documents. following on from our previous work on Europol and Frontex. With no dedicated funding for this work. it has been impossible to take it forward. At a time of increasing EU institutional secrecy. opacity and obfuscation, including outright attacks on transparenry rules, we will continue to seek funds for this important line of work. Training on access to EU information and documents Objective.. Providp. individiJa15 and organisations with the skills and knowledge needed to investlgate complex powers. policies, procedures and practices. We have managed to develop the best part of a 'curriculum' for a training course on access to EU information and documents, and one session was provided to Border Violence Monitoring Network. as noted above. However, a lack of dedicated funding has prevented the full development of a training course. which needs more time to finalise the curriculum, plan and organise the structure of the course, and promote and manaEe it. We continue to seek funding for this activity. 'Activatin¢ the Statewatch Library & Archive Objective: 'Activate' our extensive Library & Archive through targeted events and output related to key themes in our work. in order to inform the present by learning from the past. The Library & Archive remains an under-utilised resource. due to a13ck of dedicated funding to organise. promote and 'activate' the collection. We did not identify any potential funding sources in 2024, but will continue to seek opportunities in 2025. Objective 2 Expose and challenge new means of 5UTveillance. coercion and control Key developments and impact I In-depth report I publlc event l evldence submission to the UN Page 7 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report At least 27 references in the press At least 17 public citations by other civil society organisations l event bringing together migrant and refugee rights organisations facing state represslon 4 events bringin8 together researchers, campaigners, artiVi5ts, elected officials and others worklng on border externalisation 2 sets of parliamentary questions Working with and supporting IO+ other organisations 2.1. Challen in international oltce data-sharin Objective: Challenge the development of a network of police facial recognition databases linking EU and UK authorities This Wofk concerns the EU'S 'Prum' system of interconnected national databases, letting police conduct cross-border searches and sharing of DNA, fingerprint and vehicle registration data. The UK continues to participate in the system as part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. In early 2024 an updated Prum Regulation was approved by the European Parliament and the Council. We have been unable to undertake any further substantive work on this issue due to a lack of dedicated funding. Nevertheless, our Director gave an interview on the topic to Civicus Lens, and we have informed the UK-based Stop Facial Recognition Coalition of the law and its potential impacts. The coalition is organised by Big Brother Watch. Other organisations involved Include Liberty. Open Rights Group. Privacy Internarional and Race on the Agenda. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the new law in the EU and the UK'S potential involvement in the expanded system, and engage with developments when possible. 2.2. Limiting travel surveillance and passenger profillng Objective: Prevent schemes for the automated police surveillance of travel and profiling of passengers being extended from air to rail and sea transport Through the introduction of Passenger Name Record (PNRI and Advance Passenger Information (API) schemes, states and international organisations are implementing an integrated, networked global system for the surveillance of travel and the police profiling of passengers. These schemes are currently largely reseNed to air travel, but there have been longstanding plans to extend them to rail. boat and coach journeys. There is a clear need to ensure. at the very least, strict controls and limitations on the introduction of such systems. Throughout 2024 we continue to work towards this objective through a research project with the Funders Initiative for Civil Society. This seeks to establish an evidence base on the scale, scope, and potential effects of the "transnational security architecture" in particular with regard to civic space. The term "transnational security architecture" encompasses the global establishment of API. PNR and other systems for the international gathering and exchange of personal data, in the name of security and counter-terrorism. Page 8 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report Initially intended for publication in 2024, the research will now be published in 2025, due to the need to balance this work with other projects. The intention is to lay the foundation for further empirical research in a number of states around the globe that will look at the effects of transnational security obligations and new technologies upon civic space. In 2024. along with continuing research and writin& in January we hosted a session at Privacy Camp in Brussels to explain and discuss our work in this area, with Privacy International, the academic Monish Bhatia and Caitlin Chandler, an investigative journalist. We also used our research for a submission to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, call for input on Use of Administrative Measures in Counter-Terrorism. Who's using our work? he EU will soon have the largest hoard of biometric data on earth- and travellers could sufferf, The Tele8raph, 9 December 2.3. Exposing and opposing the externalisation of borders Objective: Establish an evidence base on the Eu's "operational partnerships" with third countries for the externalisation of border controls In March, we began working towards this objective through a project funded by four German organizations.. Brot fur die Welt, Medico International, Miserof and Pro Asyl. The aim is to inform and facilitate the work of campaign and advocacy groups. journalists and elected officials seeking to hold states to account for the human rights violations that accompany the border externalisation agenda. The project involves the production of a regular bulletin that uncovers and explains developments in the Eu's border externalisation projects and policies. The bulletin is based on the Systematic monitoring of European and inter national institutions. agencies and bodies. access to documents requests. and access to leaked documents. In 2024, we published four editions of the bulletin. alongside which we published nearly 70 official documents that would not otherwise have been made public. We also held four meetinES that brought together campaigners. researchers. MEPS and parliamentary assistants, lawyers and others. to discuss the content of each bulletin and related issues. These provided a useful forum to share inform3tion, ideas and to jointly plan and strategise. A dedicated mailing list for the bulletin and events had almost 200 subscriber5 at the end of 2024. including researchers. campaigners, parliamentarians and their assistants, journalists and academics. Articles and documents published with the b(Jlletin have been used by the media, parliamentarians and civil society organisations. as listed below. Journalists from El Salto. and The New Humanitarian, and a researcher from Strasbourg University, also sought our expertise on border externalisation to inform their work in 2024. Who's using our work? 'Egypt and Tunisia 'not interested, in migrant deals with EU.. The Telegraph, 21 Odober 'Egypt and Tunisia reportedly reluctant to co-operate with EU on migration deals.. European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 17 October 'E8VPt and Tunisia show 'little interest. in EU migration deal despite billions,, EUob5erver, 14 October Page 9 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report 'EU deflects blame as ICC prosecutor asked to look into Tunisia migrant abuse scandal,, EurActiv, 25 September Parliamentary question: 'Human rights violations by Eu-funded forces in Tunisia,, European parliamentary question. 24 September 'EU brushes off report it funds Tunisian forces accused of mass rape,, Euobserver, 24 September 'The brutal truth behind Italy's migrant reduction: beatings and rape by Eu-funded force5 in Tunisia., The Guardian, 19 September 'Fallstricke der Externalisierung der europaischen Migrationspolitik,. Stiftung Leben und Umwelt, 11 September he role of Courts in the era of EU externalization policies- A focus on Libya. Tunisia, and Nigerf. Refugee Law Initiative, 19 July 2024 'Politica de externalizacion migratoria, o'yo te pago y tu me paras a los migrantes" RTVE, 9 May 2024 'Europa atrapada en su propia trampa.. RTVE. 9 May 2024 'EU-Tunisia Deal Outlines Different Measures Addressing Migration by Tunisians & Non-Tunisian Nationals,, European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 22 March Frontex and externalisation An in-depth research project looking at the role of EU border agency Frontex in the externalisation of the Eu's borders continued throughout the year. The report, which will be co-published with the Transnational Institute, has been subject to a number of delays, but is due for release in 2025. 2.4. Identi in and challen in the 'collateral dama&e' caused b attacks on immi Objective= Contribute to efforts to halt the ongoing criminalization of human rights defenders, obstruction of journalists and undermining of the rule of law as a consequence of immigration control measure5 The 'security playboov Throughout 2024, we worked towards this objective in cooperation with the Fund for Global Human Rights. Research was carried out in 2023 and early 2024 on the 'security playbook,: the use of security narratives 3nd measures to justify crackdowns on migrant and refugee rights activism. An internal report detailing the findings was produced in April, and served as the basis for a convening of FGHR grantees in Tirana, Albania in December. Working with a professional facilitator and FGHR staff. we crafted an agenda and plan for the convening that allowed time to discuss the research. its implications. other relevant information from the participants, and strategies for dealing with the ongoing criminalization and repression of refugee and migrant rights activism. Participants provided positive feedback about the event. the organization and the discussions that took place,. we therefore consider we successfully achieved the immediate goal of supporting the holding of the convening. There are however longer-term questions in particular. strategies and actions for dealing with criminalization and repression - that remain open. We will seek to pursue further work on this topic in 2025. Who's usin8 ourwork? 30+ Brantee organisations of the Fund for Global Human Rights facing or working on the repression and criminalisation of support for and solidarity with migrants and refugees ration and as Page 10 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report Criminalising solidarity: the EU Facilitation Package Through the year we engaged with other civil society organisations on the Eu's proposed Facilitation Package. This revises a 2002 law on the facilitation of irregular migration. which provides one of the key legal loopholes that lets member states punish acts of solidaritylhumanitarianism for example providing food, clothes. or information to people cr055ing borders. The new law would introduce more severe criminal penalties and introduces extra-territorial jurisdiction for punishing facilitation and related crimes. amongst other things. The new Facilitation Directive was published alongside a proposal to increase the powers of Europol. There has been substantial civil society advocacy on both the Facilitation Direttive and the Europol proposal. We have supported this by publishing news, analysis and official documents, and contributing directly to the work of the #ProtectNotSurveil coalition on the Europol proposal. Two of our articles on the Facilitation Directive were produced by external contributors: one. an individual from the group working on advocacy on the law, and the second by a member of staff at the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migration. At the February meeting of the Europol Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group. Saskia Bricmont MEP used information we provided to question Europol officia15 on their work on migrant smuggling. Our work on this topic has also been referenced by the European Parliamentary Research Service. Who's u5in8 our work? La Strada Internattonal, 'EU Members Reach Agreement on Law on Misrant Smugglin￿, IG December 'Imrnigration I'Europe veut u mieux criminaliser >> les exilés et leurs soutiens.. I'Humanite. 21 August 'Stronger role for Europol to fight migrant smuggling and human traffickin￿, European Parliamentary Research Service, March 2.5: A watchdO￿fOr EU justice and home affairs Objective.. Monitor the activities of EU justice and home affairs institutions and agencies in order to identify projects or plans that go beyond legal remits. or threaten to undermine rights, liberties and democratic standards Followin8 the roadmap: unmasking the EU'S security Al plans Work continued to finalise our report on the Eu's development and deployment of Al for security purposes, due for publication in early 2025. Data exchange, exclusion and denial at the borders This project aims to improve lawyers. and refugee and migrant rights organisations, ability to challenge the use of secret evidence against an immigration orland asylum decision in the state5 that make up the Schengen area. Part of the project involved the workshops discussed in section 1.1 of this report. Throughout the year we also conducted research on the issue of secret evidence and international data exchange affecting migrants and refugees arriving in Europe. This involved desk research. access to documents reqtsests, a public questionnaire that was distributed in nine languages, and interviews with lawyers and NGO workers in Lesvos, Greece. Outputs based on this research will be published in 2025. The project was also presented at a meeting of the Euromed Rights network in Athens in May. olicies Page 11 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report Monitoring European poli Working with European Digital Rights. Refugee Project Egypt and other organisations, we prepared an open letter to the European Commission on plans to increase cooperation between Europol and the Egyptian police. for publication in January 2025. That cooperation would be based on a working arrangement between Europol and Egyptian authorities. Although this type of arrangement does not allow the exchange of personal data, the letter warned that "even limited information exchange risks "whitewashing further human rights violations in Egypt and in the EU. In Egypt. torture and ill-treatment by police offi￿r5. prison guards and military personnel is widespread. as are unlawful arrest and detention, enforced disappearances, unfair trials and use of the death penalty. This was part of our ongoing cooperation with the Resist Europol network, an open group of activists, researchers, lawyers, journalists, prison and police abolitionists. civil society organisations and more with a shared concern of the expanding EU policies. practices and agenda driven by criminalisation. surveillance and punishment. We regularly participated in discussions with the group in 2024. and helped to organise an in-person meeting in Amsterdam. Who's using our work? Saskia Bricmont MEP and Mounir Satouri. 'Europol-Egypt working arrangement.. Question for written answer E_00271812024, 2 December 'Going darv: police access to data Working with European Digital Rights and member organisations IT-POI Denmark and Privacy International, we helped to develop a paper on new EU proposals to make it easier for law enforcement agencies to access digital data. The paper was submitted in February to the High-Level Working Group. -Going Darw. convened by the European Commission to deal with the supposed problem of law enforcement agencies being unable to access certain types of digital data - for example. due to encryption. Funding for police and border agencies Reports we have published in recent years that explain state funding for and expenditure on new security and surveillance technologies continue to provide an important resour￿ for other civil society organisations. These include our 2022 report on the Eu's security. defence and border budgets for the 2021-27 period, another report from 2022 on EU funding for Al-powered border technologies. and many other publications on similar topics going back almost two decades. We were also interviewed by a journalist from La Via Libera on EU policin& borders and security budgets. and from Follow the Money on Europol. We also gave an online talk to students and staff at the University of Amsterdam on how EU research funds are distributed to Israeli entities. including military and security companies. Who's using our work? he Automated Fortress Europe: No Place for Human Rights.. Algorithm Watch, May 'Automation on the Move - Bibliograph￿. Algorithmwatch, 13 November 'EU migration poliry 35 a global health crisis,, Salud por Derecho. October Page 12 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report 'Technologies. migration, and human rights: the role of European NHRls', European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, September Technologies of surveillance, security and control with our work on budgets and fundin& past work on technologies of surveillance, security and control continues to remain highly relevant. In 2024. reports from as far back as 2014 were cited by a range of organisations. Staff were also interviewed on this topic by a Danish documentary filmmaker 3nd a journalist from The Sunday Times. We presented some of our work on border security technologies at an Algorithmwatch workshop in Berlin in May, and in December at a conference organised by HIAS Greece (online). Who's using our work? 'What happens if I'm rejected for an Etias-and can l appeal? the i paper. 26 August 'Cyfrowe granice. Jak al8Orytmy maj4 Strzec Europy [wywiad]'. Fundacja Panoptykon. 14 June 'The Digital Border: Migration, Technology and Inequalit￿. 21 May, Amnesty USA 'Spotlight on European and French funding in Tunisia- Migration cooperation at the cost of human rights?, CCFD and Terre Solidaire. May 'Between privacy and border control- Tech in the Migration Pact,, EurActiv. 19 April Migration. deportation. databases. policin& and more Our regular provision of news and analysis on both EU and national state powers, policie5 and practices continues to provide a vital source of information to jouf nalists. civil society organi5ations and others. As well as the links below. we were also regularly interviewed by Radio Blackout Iitalyl and Radio Student (Slovenia) to discuss developments in EU and UK immigration and security policies. We were also present at a meeting held by The Left group in the European Parliament {April} on ways to deal with the Eu's Pact on Migration and Asylum, and presented an overview of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum at the Berlin Humanitarian Congress in October. Who's using our work? 'Will Frontex's expansion lead to more oversight and accountabilityy The Parliament, 4 December Deutsches Institut fur Menschenrechte, 'Das europaische Einrei5e-/Ausreisesystem', December 'Deutschland drangt auf Eu-weite Verfolgung und Ubenvachung von Fahrzeugen.. Heise Online. 17 November 'Fondettes: une galerie expose u Calais après la jungle ))', La Nouvelle Republique. 15 November 'Deut5chland treibt EU-weite5 Abhoren in Fahrzeugen voran,, Netzpolitik. 14 November 'Spain asks Frontex to patrol African waters to curb migration.. Infomigrants, 11 October 'EU und Kanada: Neues Abkommen zur Ubermittlung von Fluggastdaten steht.. Hei5e Online, 4 October Sa gick Frontex fran liten myndighet till hogteknologisk propagandamaskin, Dagens ETC, 3 October 'Bundespolizei fur Internetuberprufung von Schen8en-Reisenden'. nd. 19 September 'How should Europe deal with its migration crisis? Al Jazeera. 16 September Page 13 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report 'Le Maroc n'accepte que 8% des expulsions de ses ressortissants émises par I'UE, selon un rapport., Telquel, 12 September 2024 'Marruecos solo acepta el 8% de las expulsiones de sus nacionales emitidas por la UE.. El Pais, 11 September 'Planned new European travel restrictions follow US precedents and pressure,. Papers, Pleasel 6 September 'Frontex goes drone shopping as EU looks to keep migrants ouv. EurActiv. 21 August 'Come funzionano i voli di rimpatrio fofzato dall'ltalia alla Tunisia.. Internazionale, 24 June Expulsion des Tunisien'nes d'ltalie . la complicité discrète des compagnies aériennes, Inkyfada. 24 June Meijers Committee, 'Comment on Europol's data subject categorisation based on the amended Europol Regulation.. May Met police to pay 'five-figure sum. to French publisher arrested under anti-terror law5, The Guardian, 29 April 'How the EU Death Machine Works,, Verfassungsblog, 27 February 2.6. 'Global Britain. and civil liberties Objective- Monitor the activities of the new law enforcement and security institutions set up by the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. as well as other cooperation initiatives between the UK and other states, to identify projects or plans that go beyond legal remits. or threaten to undermine rights, liberties and democratic standards. We continue to monitor the situation in the UK and the UK'S cooperation with the EU and other states and entities. Our ability to produce any outputs on this topic is extremely limited due to a lack of dedicated funding. Nevertheless, we produced a small number of articles and signed joint statements and open letters throughout 2024, on topics including: UK-German cooperation against migration across the Channel: facial recognition; police accountability for privacy invasions; automated decision-making: the Rwanda Bill; and accountability for state-related deaths. We are also members of a number of UK coalitions. While we are not particularly active in these, they remain a useful way to receive and share information and occasionally contribute to advocary or campaigning efforts. Those networks are: the Digital Sanctuary coalition. coordinated by Open Rights Group- the Human Rights Act coalition. coordinated by Liberty; and the Stop Facial Recognition coalition. coordinated by Big Brother Watch. Who'5 U51ng ourwork? 'Migration 5- The truth about the shadowy scheme to check identities.. The New Zealand Herald. 16 June 2024 Page 14 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatth Trustee5' Report 2.7. Other The right to a fair trial In March, we published a report by exiled Turkish lawyers on an important case at the European Court of Human Rights: Yuksel YalGinkaya v. Turkiye. The case concerned the prosecution of an individual for the use of an encrypted messaging app. ByLock, which the Turkish government alleges is solely used by individuals involved in the organisations that allegedly launched the 2016 coup attempt. Thousands of people have been imprisoned because they have used the app. with no substantive evidence presented against them. The ECtHR judgment provides a corrective to this disturbing practice, though the Turkish government is yet to implement. The judgement also sets out important standards on the use of digital evidence in criminal trials. The report itself was covered in Turkish-language press and was well-received on social media. It was cited in a decision of the Austrian Administrative Court in December. We co-signed a letter to the Council of Europe in July, requesting that the Committee of Ministers ensure that judgment is properly implemented by the Turkish authorities. Who's using our work? Austrian Federal Administrative Court ruled: 'The Hizmet Movement is not a terrorist organization,. 30 December Objective 3 Build a more sustarnable and more effective organisatlon Key developments and impact Expenditure of £195.370 and income of £153.002 New communications strategy Development of a visual rebrand for the organi5ation 5 new funding partners 20% increase in website visits 32% increase In website visltors On80ing cooperation with our networks 3.1. A more sustalnable or anisation Objective- Obtain an increased amount of core funding over the next four years, seeking a diverse range of funding sources for different elements of our strategy- continue to seek project fundin8 for activities that align with our strategy Funding In 2024 our total expenditure was £195.370 and our total income was £153,CK12. While our expenditure was therefore greater than our income, we ended the year with a balance of £160,576. Page 15 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report The overall financial picture for the year was relatively healthy, it remains the case that Statewatch generally lacks long-term, stable financial support. This support would need to be both underpinned by, and to enable. a shift away from the short-term project-based model upon which we have now been reliant for many years. One contact made with a foundation in 2024 will, we hope, play a part in facilitatin8 that shift. Elsewhere, we received funding from two new sources: the European Al & Society Fund {EAISF}, for a project on the Eu's development and use of artificial intelligence for police, border, immigration and criminal justice purposes; and European Digital Rights. for a project undertaken in collaboration with an investigative journalist, designed to complement the EAISF-funded work. Towards the end of the year. we were also able to agree another grant with EAISF to undertake a project on predictive policing that was effectively abandoned by another organisation. It took some nine months to organise, and we are grateful to EAISF for their patience, assistance and support during that time. In 2024, our work was supported by: Brot fur die Welt. Misereor. medico international and Pro Asyl European Al & Society Fund European Digital Rights Friends of Statewatch Funders Initiative Ivr Civil Soclety Garden Court Chambers Global Fund for Human Rights Open Society Foundations We are grateful for the support of all our funders and supporter5 and hope to continue working with them into 2025 and beyond. We will continue to seek new funding partners so that we can work towards the objectives set out in our Strategic plan that. as highlighted in this report. we were unable to work on in 2024 due to a lack of dedicated resources. Page 16 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report Income in 2024 . CtyElwtln&£4COI ¥deF￿01St￿rWWh. 41k thhtr IrK0￿.￿O3l 2%, Pr4e(tV￿w£￿2 .aC (WO £15C WO c..(￿ r5CO(X) ?021 è f..nthn9 Or￿Er1￿C()rrs FriÉn(ts cf - GIftAI# tsect ?rarts Page 17 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatth Trustees, Report Expenditure in 2024 .243. 396 *mbershiplees. I £L893 1% | Prciett diyncosts. LX039. 37% Off$￿¢￿5t7. £iOJ7Q 5% =4xoco £ =o.xoco Page 18 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report Friends of Statewatch Regular payments from the 64 Friends of Statewatch provided £5.556.94 to the organisation in 2024. This is a decrease compared to 2023, when 58 Friends of Statewatch provided £6765. In 2024 we also received 22 one-off donations with a total value of £738.57. Financlal management and administration In October 2024. the board of trustees adopted a Financial Procedures Manual for the first time. to ensure our financial management and administration is carried out in a transparent. coherent and consistent manner. Statewatch in the EU Objective: Establish a formal presence in EU jurisdiction to mitigate possible risks for our work caused by Brexit Since the Brexit vote we have explored options for establishing a formal Statewatch presence within EU jurisdiction and now have a clear overview of what those options are and how to pursue them if deemed necessary. So far, the effects of Brexit have only caused minor procedural obstacles to our work, for example the ability to make requests for access to documents as a UK-based organisation. The option to establish a presence in EU jurisdiction remains open to us, if and when deemed necessary. 3.2. A more effective or anisation Objective: Ensure that Statewatch has the people. knowledge. skills and contacts needed to achieve its objectives We seek to meet this objective by ensuring that learning and development is at the centre of our work, that we thoroughly monitor and evaluate the way we work. that we are able to make goDd use of thè voluntary work that people are willing to offer the organisation. and that we play an active and meaningful role in the networks of which we are a part. Learning and development Our strategic plan commits us to adopting a staff learning and development programme and individual learning and development plans for each member of staff. In practice, these goals are met by keeping the question of learning and development as a standing item on our weekly staff meetings and in monthly one-to-one meetin85 between each member of staff and the director. These took place every month apart from in August (for the summer break) and September (due to the death of Tony Bunyan, Statewatch founder and. until his death, Director Emeritus). During the year. staff participated in the following training courses and events: 'From activist to managerf Leadership Programme. European Al & Society Fund Fundraisin& European Al & Society Fund and Slovak Fundraising Center Charity finance strategy, National Council of Voluntary Organisations Retreat on strategic litigation, Digital Freedom Fund Materials and resources provided during training courses are made available to all staff and volunteers for reference. Page 19 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report Monitoring and evaluation In June, staff and some members of the board of trustees were able to meet in London for a valuable mid-term evaluation of our strategic plan. It also allowed for broader reflection on the increasingly-difficult environment in which we work. and how we go about our work. This was also the first opportunity for a number of the staff and trustees to meet one another in person - something that is made difficult due to the distributed locations of our staff and board, and the fact that we usually have to operate with restricted funding. Malntain and develop the Statewatch contributors group We stayed in contact with the contributors group throughout the year, primarily via the mailing list but also through individual contact and conversations. We developed a plan to increase engagement with and contributions from the group, but it proved difficult to fully carry this out. As a first step, a questionnaire was sent to all members of the group to better understand their interests and availability- Unfortunately, it was not possible to make progress beyond this point. Over the course of the year. 18 articles were written by external contributors, either on an ad-hoc basis following a request to the contributors mailing list. or through another for m of cooperation. such as the Outsourcing Borders bulletin. Contributed articles EU: New migrant smuggling law to ensure criminalisation of solidarity. 10 December Frontex's increasing role in reintegration policy and its effects in West Africa. 25 November Ignoring the root causes of disaster: the EU and Sudan, 14 October Frontex flights and fatalities in the Channel, 13 September EU watchdog intervention forces Frontex to improve transparency. 20 August Implementing the Patt: obligation for fundamental rights monitoring, 16 July EU- Council lowers threshold for migrant smuggling prosecutions. 15 July How the EU police training agency is cosying up to the Arab League's political extradition body, 2 Julv Frontex collaboration with Libya: "we call them and tryto persuade them to take them bacw, 12 June Analysis.. The politics behind the Eu-mauritania migration partnership, 29 April Policing migration- when "harm reduction" means 'multipurpose aerial surveillance" 9 April European money for the war in Gala- how EU research funding supports the Israeli arms industry, 22 March "Action file" on Tunisia outlines Eu's externalisation plans. 15 March Parliamentary lawyers- democratic oversight needed for EU-Tunisia migration agreement, 15 March ByLock Prosecutions and the Right to Fair Trial in Turkey- The ECtHR Grand Chamberfs Ruling in Yuksel YalGinkaya v. Turkiye. 13 March The case of Civipol: commodified mobility policing in West Africa and its colonial continuities, 28 February Deportations: EU considers stepping up visa sanctions after Iraq and Gambia change policies. 13 February Page 20 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report Germany.. Fatal police Shootings in 2022, 8 January A more active and effective role in our networks Burgerrechte & Polizei (Civil Liberties & Policing. CILIPJ We remain in regular contact with CILIP and in 2024 published translations of two articles originally published in the CILIP journal. Europeon Digital Rights We are regularly in touch with European Digital Rights IEDRil staff and member organisations. In 2024 we attended the general assembly in Crete {in May) and the year participated in the working group redesigning the networvs internal complaints procedure. Migreurop In 2024 we continued in our role as a co-president of Migreurop's conseil administrative, and continued to engage with the internal working group on Frontex. We attended the conseil meeting in Tunisia in May, which wa5 an important opportunity to meet in-person and to show solidarity with Tunisian organisations targeted by state repression. We also attended the general as5embW in Marseille in November. In September we presented a report on migration and asylum policies in the UK to other members of the network. #ProtertNotSurveil We remain up-to-date with the work of the #ProtectNotSurveil coalition and participate actively when possible, given time constraints. In 2024 we contributed to the networvs position paper on a proposal to give Europol morè powers. ostensibly to deal with migrant smuggling. This was due for publication in 2025. This Is Whot Police Tech Looks Like We attended a number of meetings held by This Is What Police Tech Looks Like, to share information with other groups from across Europe. and also attended an in-person meeting in Greece in May. Other relevant events We attended back-to-back conferences organised by Systemic Justice, and Weaving LiberationlEquinox Initiative for Racial Justice in Berlin in June. rovin our communication Head of Communications At the end of 2023 we were able to recruit. for the first time. a member of staff to work solely on communications. This was an important Step for the organisation and led to an improvement in our external and internal communication throughout 2024. which we expect to continue into 2025 and beyond. Communications strategy The communications strategy was approved in May and implemented from that point onwards. A full review is yet to be conducted, but it has already led to more consistent and clear writing and social media output. Staff and the board agreed upon a visual rebrand for Statewatch in autumn. which was due to be implemented for public outputs (reports. social media material. and so on} as of l January 2025. A rebrand of the website is also planned but requires dedicated funding. Page 21 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatth Trustees, Report Intemal communication and coordination In autumn we began using project management software for the first time, to improve internal coordination for the multiple projects we have ongoing at any one point. While this is likely to take some time to fully embed use of the software in the organisation, it is a welcome step. Use of our resources Compared to 2023. the total number of visits to our website grew by 20% in 2024, to a total of 201,177. While this figure may be slightly skewed by lower-than-expected figures in 2023, due to seNer downtime, it 15 nevertheless impressive. The total number of individual visitors also grew substantially: by 32%. from 133,486 in 2023 to 176,041 in 2024. The total number of downloads, however, fell by Il%, from 17,586to 15,691. This may be a result of the publication of fewer documents in 2024 than in 2023. The total number of followers across all our social media accounts (Twitterlx, Facebook, Linkedln, Bluesky. Mastodon) grew steadily, but slowly. increasing from 16.396 in January to 17,614 in December. At the end of the year. the number of subscribers to our mailing list stood at around 11,500. a small increase from around 11.100 at the end of 2023. Poli on reserves At year end 2024 the organisation had £160,576 available, though no specific amount of this was dedicated to reseNes that would make it possible to meet any unexpected shortfall in income, or rneet any necessary expenditure to protect or expand the Trusys work. Trustees will endeavour to increase reserves if income permits. Although we have taken step5 towards the adoption of a formal rcscrvcs policy. no such policy has yet been finalised or adopted by the board. Chan es to board membership_in ?0_24 After joining us in early 2023, Gabriel Almeida stepped down from his post on the board due to taking up employment that prevented him acting as a charity trustee. We are grateful for his input and insight. and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. Risk anal is Staff development and retention Statewatch employees are employed part time and are highly skilled in our specialist field of work. Our priority is to improve the working condition5 of current staff whilst acquiring enough funding to recruit additional staff members, in order to better fulfil our mission. In recent years we have been able to significantly increase staff wages. In 2021 and 2022 we irnplemented an across-the-board pay increase of 10. In 2023 there was a 15% pay rise for all staff, and a further IO% in 2024. This has made a significant contribution to bringing our salary levels closer to a decent level for our sector. Review and monitor actlon to reduce our projected pension deficit We have an action plan in place with the Pensions, Trust. our pension provider. to reduce our deficit by paying additional annual contributions. The estimate from the Pensions Trust of employer liability on withdrawal 15 £4,621 {as at September 20241. an increase from £4,209 in September 2023. Page 22 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report Operating environment One risk for the organisation is an increasingly hostile operating environment, driven by government and media attacks on independent, critical voices. In relation to our work. this manifested in 2024 in the form of a European parliamentary question about a leaked document thatwe published. An MEP for the extreme right-wing Patriots for Europe group asked the European Commission whether it was -considering taking action against the Statewatch website and does it strive to ensure that re5tricted-access EU documents are not published online, whether that be by Statewatch or any other organisation, person or entity?11 While no such "action- has emerged. this intervention highlights the importance of source protection and ensurin8 that we have access to adequate legal support, should the need arise. Annex: Pro erts in 2024 Data exchange, exclusion and denial at the borders Funder.. Privacy International Duration- September 2023-May 2025 This project aims to improve lawyers, and refugee and migrant rights organisations, ability to challenge the use of secret evidence against an immigration orland asylum decision in the states that make up the Schengen area. It will do this by- investigating the scale and scope of the use of secret evidence, the extent to which target groups make use of data protection law in 311 st38es and typés {administrative. pre-judici31. judiciall of proceedings again%t thp. ugg. of secret evidence and the extent to which authorities, supervisory bodies and courts are enforcing data protection standards- informing the target groups about the possibilities of using data protection law as a mean5 to seek access to an effective remedy for individuals threatened by a migration or asylum decision informed by secret evidence. pushing for more rigorous oversight and enforcement of data protection law by EU bodies in relation to existing and forthcoming databases and information exchange mechanisms through advocacy and campaigning with other civil society organisations, and by supporting the work of other organisations addressing related issues. The project will explore a new avenue to support due process rights in immigration and asylum proceedings, in particular the equality of arms between the applicant and the authority in the context of the use of secret evidence, in accordance with articles 8 and 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights Ithe rights to a fair trial and an effective remedy in this proposal should be understood a5 reference to general questions of due proces5, and not freestanding rights in and of themselves). Following the roadmap." unmasking the Eu's security Al plans Funder- European Al & Society Fund Duration.. January-December 2024 The goal of this project is to increase democratic scrutiny and oversight of the Eu's ongoing security Al plans. We will do this through an investigation of the 'state of pla)K of the security Al roadmap and the projects it encompasses, a5 well as other related ongoing work (for example, that carried out under the auspices of Europol's Innovation Hub). Page 23 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees. Report Outsourcing borders Funders.. Brot fur die Welt, Misereor, medico international and Pro Asyl Duration: March 2024-February 2025 This project aims to make the Eu's border externalisation policies. plans and practices public. In doing so it seeks to highlight their impact on the rights of people on the move. as well as democratic Standards, transparency and accountability. It addresses a lack of public information by publishing relevant EU documents, in this phase primarily those produced or discussed by the Council of the EU. It also tackles the overflow of information that results from a variety of EU institutions, working groups and national governments involved in the externalisation agenda by summarising thematic and regional developments. and by analysing key issue5 in depth. Transnational Security architecture. civic space and human rights Funder: Funders Initiative for Civil Society Duration- February 2023-September 2025 {extended due to delays) Our research aims to complement and support nascent civil society and local. activist-led research and advocacy in this area. We will do this by: establishing a more substantial evidence base on the establishment, financing and implementation of international counter-terrorism and security norms and their implementation at the national level. in particular as regards: o the bodies and agencies involved. includin8 informal and private bodies: o the actual or potential adverse effects of those norms and measures on civic space and human rights; o the pathways through which those norms land. in particular, key emerging priorities such as biometrics, travel surveillance and 'watchlistin(l are generated and implemented and the implications for democratic scrutiny, oversight, accountability and the involvement of civil society- o the interaction of the internatiorbal, regional and national levels in the making of global security law and governance: identifying targets, pathways and potential allies for change, in particular by: o analysing how emerging priorities in international security governance are or can be used to restrict human rights and civic space; o identifying how those international norms shape localised counter-terrorism responses pathways through which those norms are implemented,. o identifying key actors involved in the generation, financing and implementation of norms and states and/or institution5 that may be amenable to/supportive of efforts to counter negative developments; broadening the array of civil society actors aware of and engaged with efforts to counter international counter-terrorism and security norm-setting that undermines civic space and human rights. Page 24 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report The project aims to provide a springboard for campaigning and advocacy that seeks to ensure, at a bare minimum, greater democratic and public scrutiny and oversight of transnational security institutions, with the long-term aim of rolling back and ultimately halting the development of an unaccountable. invasive and harmful global security architecture. The "security playbook" and migrants, rlghts activism Funder.. Fund for Global Human Rights Duration- October 2023-May 2024 Iresearchl. July 2024-January 2025 (convening) A research project investigating how state5 are using security discourses and measures to repress migrant and refugee rights activism. In 2024, we also supported the organi53tion of a convening in Albania, for groups affected by state repression to discuss our research and to consider strategies in response. Trustees and officers The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows- Trustees- Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche Laure Baudrihaye-Gerard Jonathan Bloch Victoria Canning Nadine Finch Lilana Keith (resigned 30 April 2025) Gabriel Almeida (resigned 3 June 2024} Secretary- Jonathan Bloch statement of trustees, responsibilities The trustees (who are also the directors of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust for the purposes of company lawl are responsible for preparing the trustees, report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards {United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland Company law require5 the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policie5 and apply them consistently- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP- Page 25 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Trustees, Report make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent-, state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subjett to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governin8 the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. The financial statements on pages 29 to 45 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 18 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Jonathan Oloch Company secretary and trustee Page 26 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known a5 Statewatch Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust ('the Company,) I report to the charity trustees {who are also Directors for the purpose of company lawl on my examination of the accounts of the The Libertarian Research and Education Trust {'the charitable companw) for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities. the Balance Sheet and related notes on pages 29 to 45. This report is made solely to the charitvs trustees. as a body. in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the chariws trustees those matters l am required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charitys trustees as a body, for my work, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed. Responsibilitles and basis of report As the charitvs trustees of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 20061'the 2006 Act'l. Having satisfied myself that the accounts of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination. I report in respect of my examination of your charitws accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 {'the 2011 Act'l. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145151{bl of the 2011 Act. An independent examination does not involve gathering all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently does not cover all the matters that an auditor considers in giving their opinion on the financial statements. The planning and conduct of an audit goes beyond the limited assurance that an independent examination can provide. Consequently l express no opinion as to whether the financial statements present a 'true and fairf view and my report is limited to those specific matters set out in the independent examinerfs statement. Independent examinerf5 Statement I have completed my examiD3tion. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe: l. accounting records were not kept in respett of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust a5 required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records: or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or 4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021. Page 27 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust ('the Company,) I have no concerns and have c should be drawn in this rep e acr055 no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention in orderto enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Tim Sullivan FCA Field Sullivan Limited 9 Hare & Billet Road Blackheath SE3 ORB 18 September 2025 Page 28 LD o w YJ The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch (Registration number: 08480724) Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024 2024 2023 Note Fixed assets Tangible assets li 1,088 1,200 Current assets Debtors 12 38,728 132.178 18,613 211.363 Cash at bank and in hand 13 170.906 229,976 Credltors: Amounts falling due within one year 14 {6,7971 124,0231 Net current assets 164,109 205,953 Total assets le￿ current liabilitles 165,197 207,153 Provisions Is 14,621) 14,2091 Net assets 160,576 202,944 Funds of the Charity: Restricted income funds Restricted funds 47,193 Unrestricted incorne funds Unrestricted funds 160,576 155.751 Total funds 17 160.576 202,944 For the financial year ending 31 December 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relatin8 to small companies. Directors, responsibilities- The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476- and The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. The notes on pages 33 to 45 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 31 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch (Registration number: 08480724) Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024 The financial statements on pages 29 to 45 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 18 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Jonathan Bloch Company secretary and trustee The notes on pages 33 to 45 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 32 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 I Charity status The charity is limited by guarantee. incorporated in England and Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation. The address of its registered office is: 88 Fleet Street London EC4Y IDH These financial statements were authorised for issue by the trustees on 18 September 2025. 2 Accounting policies Summary of slgnlficant accounting poltcies and key accounting estimates The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated. statement of compliance The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 1021 {effective l January 20191 (Charitie5 SORP IFRS 1021 Second edition Ortober 20191, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FR5 1021. They a150 comply with the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011. Basis of preparatlon The Libertarian Research and Education Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. A55ets and liabilitie5 are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. Goin8 concern In common with many similar organisations who receive the majority of their income from public funding, the viability of The Libertarian Research and Education Trust is dependent on finding continuing sources of funding. As set out in the trustee's report. the company's financial situation remains challenging, but the trustees are working to address these issues. Accordingly. the trustees believe it is appropriate to prepare the accounts on a going concern basis. Page 33 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 Exemption from preparing a cash flow statement The charity opted to early adopt Bulletin I published on 2 February 2016 and have therefore not included a cash flow statement in these financial statements. Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty In the application of the charivs accounting policies. the directos are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual result5 may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the periods in which the estimate is revised where revisions affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revisions affects both current and future periods. Income and endowments All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income. it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably. Donotlons and legocles Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fullv met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period. Grnnts receivable Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released. Defrrred income Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods and is released to incoming resources in the period for which. it has been received. Such income is only deferred when: - The donor specifies that the grant or donation must only be used in future accounting periods,. or - The donor has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement. Investment income Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due. Page 34 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 Expenditure All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset's use. Other support Costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs. Charitable ortivities Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. Support costs Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources. for example. allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage. Taxatlon The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph I Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly. the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered bv Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes. Tangible fixed assets Individual fixed assets costing £500 or more are initially recorded at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses. Trade debtors Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or Se￿ice$ performed in the ordinary course of business. Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effertive interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables. Page 35 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subjert to an insignificant risk of change in value. Borrowings Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value. net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost. with the difference between the proceeds. net of transaction costs. and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period of the relevant borrowing. Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges. Bof rowings are classified as current liabilities unless the charity has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date. Provisions Provisions are recognised when the charity has an obligation at the reporting date as a result of a past event. it is probable that the charity will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation. Fund strurture Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose. Page 36 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Staternents for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 3 Income from donations and legacies Unrestricted Total 2024 Total 2023 General Restricted Donations and legacies: Committed giving Gift aid reclaimed 6,680 1.057 6.680 1,057 6,707 1,195 Grants. including capital grants; European Digital Rights Garden Court 5.929 5,929 4.000 4.000 4,000 157,596 11,501 19,254 98.293 Open Society Institute Privacy International Fund for Global Human rights Funders, Initiative for Civil Society Network of European Foundations 34,505 40,148 34.505 40,148 47.629 47.629 11.737 128,211 139.948 298.546 4 Income from charitable activlties Unrestrirted Total 2024 Total 2023 General Service level agreement Fees and supplies Other income 10.022 484 10,022 484 7.101 366 2,399 2,399 6,208 12,905 12,905 13,675 Page 37 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 S Investment income Unrestricted funds General Total 2024 Total 2023 Interest receivable and similar income: Interest receivable on bank deposits 149 149 68 6 Expenditure on charitable activities Total 2024 Total 2023 Note Staff costs 85,829 7,545 134 67.950 3.731 287 Computer software and maintenance Printing. postage and stationery Trade subscriptions Sundries 1,214 312 1,321 15 Project costs Travel and subsistence 34.039 5,243 61,054 5,663 2,732 37,176 Support costs 195,370 118,875 7 Trustees remuneration and expenses No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the vear. No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year. Page 38 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 8 Analysis of support Costs Support costs Total 2024 Total 2023 Rent 7,500 972 9.555 693 Insurance Accountancy Independent examination Consultancy Legal and professional Bank ch3rges Foreign currency Igainsl/losses Depreciation of office equipment 180 2.484 48.083 13 2,412 22,987 817 276 132 1,230 496 400 61.054 37,176 9 Staff costs The aggregate payroll costs were as follows: 2024 2023 Staff costs during the year were: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs 80.206 1.407 4,151 65 65,207 153 2,392 198 Other staff costs 85,829 67,950 Page 39 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 Decernber 2024 The monthly average number of persons (including senior managernent / leadership team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows.. 2024 2023 No Charitable activities No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year. 10 Taxation The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation. 11 Tangible fixed assets Furniture and equipment Total Cost At l January 2024 Additions 1,600 384 1,600 384 At 310ecember 2024 1,984 1,984 Depreciation At l January 2024 Charge for the year 400 400 496 496 At 31 December 2024 896 896 Net book value At 31 December 2024 1.088 1,088 At 31 December 2023 1,200 1,200 Page 40 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatth Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 12 Debtors 2024 2023 Prepayments Accrued income 981 2,499 14,919 1.195 36,691 1,056 Other debtors 38,728 18,613 13 Cash and cash equivalents 2024 2023 Cash at bank 132,178 211,363 14 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 2024 2023 Other taxation and social security Accruals 3,063 3,734 2,564 3.620 17.839 Deferred income 6,797 24,023 15 Provisions Pension contributions provision Total At l January 2024 Utilised during the period {4.2091 14121 14,2091 14121 At 31 December 2024 14,6211 14,6211 16 Related party transactions There were no related party transactions in the year. Page 41 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 17 Funds Balance at I January 2024 Incoming resources Resources expended Balance at 31 December 2024 Unrestricted Generul General Funds 155.751 24,791 119,9661 160,576 Restricted Pl Project The Fund for Global Human Rights Funders. Initiative for Civil Society European Digital Rights Network of European Foundations 5,462 34,505 40.148 139,9671 {40,148) 141,731} {5.9291 147.6291 41,731 5,929 47,629 47,193 128,211 1175,404) Total funds 202,944 153,002 1195,3701 160.576 Page 42 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 Balance at i January 2023 Incoming resour￿$ Resources expended Balance at 31 December 2023 Transfers Unrestricted General General Funds 7,378 183,241 132.2221 12.6461 155,751 Restricted Pl Project The Fund for Global Hurnan Rights Funders, Initiative for Civil Society 2,152 11,501 18.191) 5,462 19,254 {21,9001 2,646 98.293 (56,5621 41,731 2,152 129,048 186,6531 2,646 47,193 Total funds 9,530 312.289 1118.875) 202,944 Page 43 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 Proterting Migrants Communities by Future-Proofing the Immigration system Funder.. Privacy International Summary: In order to inform civil society organisations. journalists and European and national parliamentary representatives about EU justice and home affairs agencies, roles in this complex information network and its impact on individuals, rights, this project produced an interactive online 'map' and a series of short briefings to explain and critically analyse.. the processing of personal data by Frontex, Europol and the EU Asylum Agency in the context of the Eu's 'interoperability' initiative, including new roles and powers granted to the agencies in relation to interoperable systems and how this compares to the status quo ante as well as their more general data processing powers- and the impact of that data processing on fundamental rights. Transnational security policy, avic space and human rights Funder: Funders Initiative for Civil Soaety Summary.. Investigating transnational security and counter-terrorism obligations originating from the UN Security Council, their implementation by international and regional intergovernmental organisations, and their impacts and effects on civic space and human rights at national level. Transparency on Al technologies in migration: Europe's techno-border Funder- Euromed Righrs Summary.. A study to provide an overview of the links between European migration policies - narnely specific files contained in the so-called EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, such as the Screening Regulation - and the use of 5ecurity-focused technologies, including Al. The study included a focus on Italy and Spain, as key countries for the implementation of screenings of asylum applicants at external borders. Civic space, security, and Migrants. Rights Research- the security playbook and miErants' rights activism Funder: Fund for Global Human Rights Summary.. A project investigating how governments in Europe and beyond have used security narratives and measures to crack down on miErant/refugee rights work. Data exchange, exclusion and denial at the borders Funder- Privacy International Summary- This project investigates the use of secret evidence in asylum and immigration proceedings in the EU, and looks at how data protection law may be used to provide improved access to an effective remedy for people in those proceedings. Advocacy and Campaign actions at national level related to the Al Act and its implementation Funder.. European Digital Rights Page 44 The Libertarian Research and Education Trust known as Statewatch Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2024 The goal of this project is to increase democratic scrutiny and oversight of the Eu's ongoing security Al plans. We will do this through an investigation of the 'state of pla¢ of the security Al roadmap and the project5 it encompasses, as well as other related ongoing work (for example. initiatives carried out under the auspices of Europol's Innovation Hub). 18 Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted funds General Total funds at 31 December 2024 Tangible fixed assets Current assets 1,088 170,906 16.7971 14,6211 1,088 170,906 16,7971 14,6211 Current liabilities Provisions Total net assets 160.576 160,576 Unrestricted funds General Total funds at 31 December 2023 Restricted funds Tangible fixed a55ets Current assets 1.200 182.783 124,0231 14,2091 1,200 229.976 124,0231 14,2091 47,193 Current liabilities Provisions Total net assets 155,751 47,193 202,944 Page 45