Another bespoke translation by yours truly. Original source [A] at Apollo News
Unfortunately the Euractiv article which is being referred to is behind a paywall - if someone supplies it to me, I'll gladly update this OP
2024-11-27 Update: Added the HLG statement as PDF and individual screenshots, thanks @Garamok
A EU authority demands that the Commission permits a real-time surveillance of phones and laptops starting in 2025, in order to fight against organized crime. Messages should be readable even before they get sent or after they have been received.
The transparent phone: For fighting crime, privacy is to be eroded. (symbolic image)
A EU authority is demanding real-time surveillance of phones and laptops starting in 2025. They demand that the police shall be able to read messages in the entire European Union in real-time. The occasion: fighting organized crime. For the "High-Level Group (HLG) on access to data for effective law enforcement", data protection and privacy play nothing but a formal role.
The HLG consists of members from the EU Commission, representatives of the EU member states, and law enforcement agencies. On November 22, the HLG demanded that the EU Commission submit a proposition in the coming year to allow a real-time access on communications data. This is reported by Euractiv. Already in May, the HLG presented its preliminary research results in a report. The group was set up in 2023 and works on finding out how law enforcement agencies can get an easier access to data in order to fight against organized crime. In a concluding report from November 15, the group presented its results and demands.
Thus, the concluding report criticized that the different regulations regarding data retention in the individual EU states lead to problems in cross-border criminal prosecution. Specifically, the HLG demanded in their preliminary report from May that the industry should be mandated to cooperate with the agencies so that the police gets access to data that allows for an identification of users, such as the storing of IP addresses. In addition, they demand that non-cooperative electronic communication services shall be subject to prohibitive sanctions.
Already in May, they demanded that there shall be a EU initiative which allows for looking at "data in transit", thus do real-time surveillance. In the concluding report from November 15, the HLG doubled down on the demand and strongly demanded that the Commission issue a corresponding proposition in 2025. By real-time surveillance, the HLG means that messages are able to be read even before they are sent, or shortly after they reached the recipient.
In the concluding report, they also said that the fact that they can't access the data in real-time allegedly causes big difficulties for crime prevention. Police officers have to make use of methods like installing cameras or microphones, which are dangerous for the officers. If you are not able to read messages, all other persons surrounding a suspect must be surveilled too. The HLG also demands more funding in the coming EU budget to stock up on means for "digital forensic tools".
Currently, there is no mutual regulation for mass data retention in the European Union because the European Court of Justice has declared the prior guideline on data retention invalid in 2014. The European Data Protection Committee criticized the HLG's demands in a statement on November 4. The demands would strongly invade the right to data protection and privacy. The committee also criticized the demand to weaken encryption.
See attached PDF or screenshots here:
Unfortunately the Euractiv article which is being referred to is behind a paywall - if someone supplies it to me, I'll gladly update this OP
2024-11-27 Update: Added the HLG statement as PDF and individual screenshots, thanks @Garamok
EU authority demands real-time surveillance of phones and laptops starting 2025
A EU authority demands that the Commission permits a real-time surveillance of phones and laptops starting in 2025, in order to fight against organized crime. Messages should be readable even before they get sent or after they have been received.
The transparent phone: For fighting crime, privacy is to be eroded. (symbolic image)
A EU authority is demanding real-time surveillance of phones and laptops starting in 2025. They demand that the police shall be able to read messages in the entire European Union in real-time. The occasion: fighting organized crime. For the "High-Level Group (HLG) on access to data for effective law enforcement", data protection and privacy play nothing but a formal role.
The HLG consists of members from the EU Commission, representatives of the EU member states, and law enforcement agencies. On November 22, the HLG demanded that the EU Commission submit a proposition in the coming year to allow a real-time access on communications data. This is reported by Euractiv. Already in May, the HLG presented its preliminary research results in a report. The group was set up in 2023 and works on finding out how law enforcement agencies can get an easier access to data in order to fight against organized crime. In a concluding report from November 15, the group presented its results and demands.
Thus, the concluding report criticized that the different regulations regarding data retention in the individual EU states lead to problems in cross-border criminal prosecution. Specifically, the HLG demanded in their preliminary report from May that the industry should be mandated to cooperate with the agencies so that the police gets access to data that allows for an identification of users, such as the storing of IP addresses. In addition, they demand that non-cooperative electronic communication services shall be subject to prohibitive sanctions.
Read messages even before they are sent
Already in May, they demanded that there shall be a EU initiative which allows for looking at "data in transit", thus do real-time surveillance. In the concluding report from November 15, the HLG doubled down on the demand and strongly demanded that the Commission issue a corresponding proposition in 2025. By real-time surveillance, the HLG means that messages are able to be read even before they are sent, or shortly after they reached the recipient.
In the concluding report, they also said that the fact that they can't access the data in real-time allegedly causes big difficulties for crime prevention. Police officers have to make use of methods like installing cameras or microphones, which are dangerous for the officers. If you are not able to read messages, all other persons surrounding a suspect must be surveilled too. The HLG also demands more funding in the coming EU budget to stock up on means for "digital forensic tools".
Currently, there is no mutual regulation for mass data retention in the European Union because the European Court of Justice has declared the prior guideline on data retention invalid in 2014. The European Data Protection Committee criticized the HLG's demands in a statement on November 4. The demands would strongly invade the right to data protection and privacy. The committee also criticized the demand to weaken encryption.
Statement 5/2024 on the Recommendations of the High-Level Group on Access to Data for Effective Law Enforcement
See attached PDF or screenshots here:
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