Debate: The surveillance of politicians, prosecutors, lawyers and journalists, and other persons and entities in EU Member States using cyber surveillance software
Date: TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Didier Reynders
Language: FR

Toute tentative par des services de sécurité nationale d’accéder illégalement aux données d’individus, qu’ils soient avocats, journalistes, procureurs, militants de la société civile ou opposants politiques, est inacceptable. Bien entendu, les nouvelles technologies peuvent jouer un rôle essentiel pour les forces de police et pour le monde judiciaire, mais à condition qu’il y soit uniquement fait recours d’une manière proportionnée et conforme à l’ensemble du droit applicable. La sécurité nationale ne peut constituer un blanc-seing pour outrepasser les droits fondamentaux des Européens. Les médias doivent pouvoir travailler librement, en toute indépendance et sans crainte de représailles, partout au sein de l’Union européenne. Une opposition politique libre est cruciale pour la démocratie.  Comme vous le savez, en vertu du droit européen, ce sont les États membres qui sont compétents pour protéger leur sécurité nationale. Toutefois, cela ne signifie pas que les États membres soient exemptés de leurs obligations au titre du droit de l’Union, au simple motif qu’ils affirment agir dans l’intérêt de la sécurité nationale. En d’autres termes, le fait qu’une mesure soit présentée comme liée à la sécurité nationale ne signifie pas que tout est permis. The European Court of Justice has repeatedly made this point. According to its case-law, it is for the Member States alone to define their essential security interests and to adopt appropriate measures to protect them. The mere fact that a national measure has been taken for the purpose of protecting national security cannot render EU law inapplicable. The Court has made clear that it is for the Member States to substantiate such a claim. Member States must oversee and control their security services and must ensure that they fully respect fundamental rights, including privacy and the protection of personal data. There is also a need to create a favourable environment for media freedom, which includes safeguarding the safety of journalists and protecting them from threats, including online. Any attempts by national security services to illegally access the data of citizens, including journalists and political opponents is unacceptable. Independent supervisory authorities, such as national data protection authorities and national courts, have an important role to play in that respect. The Commission expects them to make full use of all their supervisory powers to thoroughly investigate the allegations regarding the Pegasus spyware and restore citizens’ trust. In this context, I’m aware that the Hungarian Data Protection Authority announced the conclusion of its investigation into the matter. We understand that an investigation by the Budapest Regional Office of the Hungarian Prosecution Service is still ongoing. I am also aware that in Poland, the Senate Special Committee is examining the use of Pegasus. I would like to assure you that the Commission continues to closely follow the issue and that we are gathering information in this regard. When Member States apply EU law, they must comply with the fundamental rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and even when Union law is not applicable, the privacy of communications and the protection of personal data are still subject to strict safeguards under the European Convention of Human Rights and the constitutional laws of the Member States. In particular, any restrictions or exceptions to fundamental rights must be duly justified, necessary and proportionate. We are particularly aware of the specific risks sometimes faced by opposition politicians, journalists and human rights defenders in this regard. With regard specifically to the media, the Commission adopted a recommendation on the safety of journalists in September last year. One specific recommendation of this text states that Member States should ensure full implementation of the European and national legal frameworks on the confidentiality of communications and online privacy, with a view to ensuring that journalists and other media professionals are not subject to illegal online tracking or surveillance. Furthermore, the recommendation provides that Member States should, upon request, assist journalists who seek to determine whether their devices or online accounts have been compromised in obtaining the services of cybersecurity forensic investigators. The Commission will monitor the implementation by the Member States of this and other recommendations. We call on all Member States to implement legislation and safeguards to protect individuals from any unlawful surveillance, including any arbitrary or mass surveillance. Mesdames et Messieurs les Députés, l’Union européenne dispose d’un cadre juridique solide en matière de protection des données et de la vie privée. Ce cadre doit être respecté. Comme je l’ai souligné, les autorités des États membres sont tenues d’encadrer et de contrôler leurs services de sécurité et leurs forces de l’ordre, afin de s’assurer que ceux-ci respectent pleinement les droits fondamentaux, y compris la protection des données à caractère personnel, la vie privée et la liberté d’expression. Dans la mesure où des règles européennes sont applicables, les droits fondamentaux inscrits dans la charte doivent être respectés. Dans le cas où le droit de l’Union n’est pas applicable, les États membres restent tenus de respecter les garanties prévues par la Convention européenne des droits de l’homme et les constitutions nationales. Par ailleurs, je tiens à souligner qu’une adoption rapide du règlement «vie privée et communications électroniques» («