The European Union is facing criticism over its inability to retrieve €150 million (£125 million) paid to Tunisia despite allegations of human rights violations, including sexual violence against migrants by EU-funded security forces.
Despite concerns about Tunisia’s increasingly authoritarian regime, the EU provided the funds as part of a migration and development deal.
The Guardian’s investigation last month exposed widespread abuses by Tunisian security forces, including sexual violence against migrants.
While EU funding rules require respect for fundamental rights, there is no mechanism to reclaim funds even if they are linked to serious human rights violations.
A human rights impact assessment was not conducted before the deal was announced.
Catherine Woollard of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles argues that human rights violations are an inherent part of such migration deals with repressive governments.
She criticizes the EU for outsourcing its responsibilities and avoiding direct involvement in abusive actions.
The recent election of Tunisian President Kais Saied, known for his racist rhetoric against migrants, raises further concerns about potential human rights abuses.
His victory has prompted criticism from rights groups and solidified Tunisia’s slide into autocracy.
The EU Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, is investigating the EU-Tunisia deal and its compatibility with the bloc’s human rights obligations.
Her report, expected in the coming weeks, is likely to question the deal’s integrity and the existence of measures to suspend funding in case of human rights violations.
O’Reilly has acknowledged the difficulty in tracking the EU funding within the deal.