European justice ministers meet today to discuss setting up a high-level expert group, which will examine how far intelligence services can go in tracking down criminals. There are several obstacles to creating such an advisory group, especially when it comes to privacy.
CDA MEP Jeroen Lenaers stresses that there is no question of setting up a supervisory body. The intention is that the group will work together intensively for one year and make recommendations. These should lead to European legislation in the field of effective law enforcement, such as using data to catch criminals.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for police and intelligence services to access criminal data”
According to Lenaers, there is great concern in many countries about the phenomenon of ‘going dark’. “That all kinds of important technology that we use too, like encryption and encrypted messages, for our privacy, are also used by criminals,” says Lenaers. “We use it for good reasons, but now criminals are also hiding behind it. This means that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the police and intelligence services to access this data to fight criminals.’
Civil rights
If the intelligence services were to actually access that encryption and encrypted messages, there could be a civil rights violation. But above all a dilemma, thinks Lenaers. “For good citizens you want to keep the protection intact, but for criminals you want to find a way to break through,” she explains. “And this is very difficult.”
According to the expert group, the starting point will therefore be “ee”. Lenaers: ‘They believe we should stop pretending that security and privacy can conflict with each other. Ultimately, the intention is to come up with a recommendation that reinforces both.’
Cooperation
Lenaers points out that there will also be close collaboration with privacy regulators, experts and organizations. “And at the same time we bring security experts, police officers and the prosecutor’s office to the table to formulate a solution,” she explains. “It’s a dilemma. Everyone accepts it. But we can’t do anything, because otherwise the problem will only get worse.”
Source: BNR
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