AI Overview Learn more The European Union (EU) is facing a growing concern about the use of spyware by some member states, with the potential for abuse of power and infringement on civil liberties. The EU Parliament has investigated the use of spyware, particularly targeting citizens, journalists, and opposition figures, and is working to establish common standards for its use. Concerns have been raised about the potential for non-EU countries to use spyware for political and criminal purposes. Elaboration: Spyware Abuses: European Parliament's PEGA committee has investigated the use of spyware, including Pegasus, and found that some EU governments have abused it for surveillance, raising concerns about human rights violations. Lack of Transparency and Oversight: There's a general lack of transparency, redress, and oversight mechanisms to ensure proportionate use of spyware by national intelligence and law enforcement agencies. EU-Level Standards: The European Parliament has called for EU-level standards to regulate the use of spyware by member states. International Initiatives: Some EU member states have signed international initiatives like the Pall Mall Process for voluntary regulation of spyware, but they resist binding EU legislation. Concerns about National Security: National security has been used as an excuse for using spyware to collect information from citizens, including journalists, lawyers, and political opponents. EU and Spyware Export Control: The EU bans the sale of cyber-surveillance technologies if they are likely to be used for human rights violations, but European companies can still sell spyware to their own governments. Foreign Policy Dimension: MEPs have called for a review of spyware export licenses and stronger enforcement of EU export contro