MEPs adopt recommendations based on the inquiry into illicit use of Pegasus and other spyware and its impact on democracy, civil society and the media. In a debate on Wednesday and recommendations put to the vote on Thursday, Parliament will present its proposals for tackling spyware abuse in Europe. In its final report adopted in May, the Committee of Inquiry investigating Pegasus and other spyware raised concerns about the impact of spyware abuse on democracy, civil society and the media in several EU member states. Extracts from the debate and from the vote.

Strasbourg

plenary session

fight against cyber attacks (T)

LENAERS, Jeroen (EPP, NL)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

freedom of press and media (T)

joint debate

REYNDERS, Didier (BE, EC)

HEIDE, Hannes (S&D, AT)

YENBOU, Salima (Renew, FR)

NEUMANN, Hannah (Greens/EFA, DE)

foreign affairs and security policy (T)

Committee of inquiry to investigate the use of the Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware

Pegasus spyware: extracts from the joint debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN &apos;T VELD (Renew, NL), Rapporteur, Spyware is not just a technology. It is a tool in a broader toolkit, the toolkit of the authoritarian. It is a grave threat to democracy because spyware is not being used against just any citizen. And this is also why many people think, oh, it doesn't concern me. It concerns only a handful of people that I have nothing to do with. No, it concerns the very people who are the custodians of our democracy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN &apos;T VELD (Renew, NL), Rapporteur, If you have no more countervailing powers, then democracy is dead. And that is the very purpose of the regimes that are using spyware against some of their own citizens. And this is not only happening in Saudi Arabia or Mexico. No, it's happening right here on our doorstep within the European Union, by EU governments.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN &apos;T VELD (Renew, NL), Rapporteur, I would really ask the Commission to follow up as much as you can, really seek the limits of your powers. And in any case, report back in great detail to the European Parliament. Preferably even before the summer break about how you intend to give a follow up to our recommendations, because this is not the end of our work friends. This is where it starts. Tomorrow, we're going to adopt the big sledgehammer that will we will be fighting authoritarianism with, and we will make sure that every single recommendation is implemented, no matter how long it takes.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, EU law in data protection will continue to apply when it comes to the use of personal data by private entities, even if this treatment is necessary for the use of national security. Similarly, EU law applies also when public authorities process any personal data for repressive or penal purposes. In this way, when law enforcement use any type of spyware for this type of objective, the Police Justice Directive applies in this situation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The European Union position regarding unlawful online surveillance is firm. States should implement legislations and safeguards to protect people from unlawful surveillance, including any arbitrary or mass surveillance that may be carried out by state actors in the cyberspace as well as in the physical world. Any such policies have to be fully in line with international human rights law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), Chair of PEGA Committee, Spyware should always be subject to an effective judicial authorisation and independent supervision. Instead of banning spyware, we should really make sure that member states adhere to certain requirements in using it, like investigating and resolving all cases where alleged abuse or spyware is relevant.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), Chair of PEGA Committee, In addition, when invoking national security grounds, as you also mentioned, Commissioner, there must be a justification. Member States should demonstrate compliance with EU law, including the principles of proportionality, necessity, legality and legitimacy.

SOUNDBITE (German), Hannes HEIDE (S&amp;D, AT), With our recommendations to the Commission and the Member States, we wish to create to the basis for putting a stop to the unwarranted use of spyware in Europe. Such software should only be used to fight serious crime subjected to this warrant. The Commission must act comprehensively and present a legal act for the legal use Purchase acquisition and passing on of spyware and must also establish common baseline standards.

SOUNDBITE (French), Salima YENBOU (Renew, FR), The Committee of Inquiry and Investigation showed us that we needed two things better knowledge and development of this technology in Europe in order to protect our citizens, especially if there is a worsening rule of law situation around the world and other threats. But we also need solid safeguards to make sure that human rights are respected at the same time as security.

SOUNDBITE (English), Hannah NEUMANN (Greens/EFA, DE), If one of your best journalists is spied upon while investigating a major story. If one of your state prosecutors is spied upon while preparing court cases, if your Defence Minister is spied upon while attending natal meetings, if one of your companies is exporting spyware to a war zone, if any of this happens and you are only a halfway decent government with some responsibility, you would investigate, you would turn everything upside down, find the loopholes that make this possible, bring perpetrators to justice, apologise to victims. Right. And I don't get why none of this happens. So basically we the paga Inquiry Committee, did your job in the last 12 months.