The proposal put on the table by the European Commission in March, which aims to ensure the effective and swift deportation of people without international protection, seriously jeopardises the right to health, a new report warns.
The proposal will make it easier to collect, access, and exchange data on people's health and medical needs between EU and non-EU countries to enforce deportation, among other things, according to the report by NGOs Médecins du Monde and PICUM.
They call on European legislators to develop a rights-based migration policy that protects – not punishes – people.
The NGOs point out that national authorities and even Frontex can decide to transfer personal data. If this data is shared outside the EU, people run the risk of their data being misused in countries where human rights are not adequately protected, they criticised.
'Serious breach of medical ethics'
They therefore argue that the proposal is in "stark contrast" with Article 8 of the European General Data Protection Regulation. (GDPR). This protects the right to privacy and guarantees the protection of personal data for everyone in the EU, including undocumented migrants.
The European Court of Human Rights has already ruled several times in several judgments that the collection or storage of health data by public authorities, even when not in use, constitutes an infringement of the right to privacy and a breach of medical confidentiality.
"The use of healthcare as a tool for migration control is a serious breach of medical ethics and undermines patient safety," said Federico Dessi of Médecins du Monde.
Additionally, the NGOs point out that the proposal endangers people's health and well-being in several ways. This includes expanding the grounds for detention and extending the maximum duration from 18 to 24 months.
"Research shows that any period of migration detention is detrimental to people's mental and physical health," the NGOs stated.
