Policing by design: EU “operationalises” police data access plans
Topic
Country/Region
28 November 2024
The final report by the EU's High-Level Group on access to data for effective law enforcement has been published, calling on law and policy-makers to "operationalise" its proposals. This could mean reintroducing mass telecoms surveillance and creating backdoors to undermine encryption.
Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
Image: Christiaan Colen, CC BY-SA 2.0
In June, Statewatch reported on a plan produced by the EU’s High-Level Group on access to data for effective law enforcement, which called for the reintroduction of mass telecommunications surveillance and the creation of backdoors to access encrypted data.
A follow-up report that seeks to “operationalise” the proposals has now been made public (pdf). The report is organised into three themes:
- Digital forensics: “the collection, analysis and preservation of digital evidence”;
- Data retention: information generated through the use of telecoms systems and devices, “notably IP addresses and port numbers,” to identify users and work out who has been talking with whom;
- Lawful interception: “covert access to data from a suspicious communication.”
The report “invites the Commission, the Member States, the European Parliament and all relevant stakeholders to draw inspiration from the recommendations and the report when developing measures to address the issue of access to data for effective law enforcement.” A multitude of specific proposals are made.
Documentation
Our work is only possible with your support.
Become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
Further reading
Policing by design: the latest EU surveillance plan
The EU should reintroduce mass telecommunications surveillance and create backdoors to encrypted data, a new plan drafted in secret by police and security officials says. To do so, close coordination between the state and industry would be required, to ensure what the plan calls “lawful access by design.” The plan repeats demands made many times over the years by officials, and may find a warm reception from the incoming European Commission.
Police should have “more say in the EU policy-making process,” says Swedish government
A “non-paper” circulated in the Council of the EU by the Swedish government in early June calls for “a fundamental change in perspective” in the fight against terrorism and organised crime, arguing that too many proposals are “watered down” by fundamental rights considerations.
"Going dark": will the next assault on privacy take place behind closed doors?
The Swedish Presidency of the Council proposed to create a High-Level Expert group on data retention to strike a new "balance" between the right to privacy and the right to security, according to two documents published by Statewatch. Member state feedback has been enthusiastic. The aim is to change the rhetoric on surveillance to facilitate the adoption of new rules. The expert group format of discussion and the participation of civil society are still to be decided, with the Commission and the Council likely to co-chair.
Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.