unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Jeroen Lenaers
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: EN

Four months ago, our inquiry committee came to an end, after a year of intensive negotiations. And we said already back then, this might be the end of the PEGA Committee. It is not the end of our work because we need results. The Commission must urgently propose measures to regulate the use of spyware, and Member States must investigate and resolve all cases of alleged abuse of spyware and prove that their spyware framework is in line with rule of law standards. This is what should happen, but it is not. We have not yet received an official response from the Commission, and Member States are not exactly active either. In the meantime, the situation has further developed. A Russian Kremlin-critical journalist has been targeted with spyware while residing in the EU. There have been reports of European-origin spyware being sold to countries like Vietnam and being used to target EU officials, including President Metsola. Spyware developers like Intellexa and Cytrox have been blacklisted by the US. The Spanish magisterial inquiry was closed due to lack of cooperation by the Israeli authorities, and the Polish Senate concluded its investigation on the use of Pegasus in Poland. And we count on the new government in Poland to follow up on the recommendations and on all cases of spyware abuse. But the clock is ticking, because I would not be surprised if Minister Ziobro’s shredder is already working overtime at the moment. So a lot of developments in recent months. The only thing that does not seem to be developing any further is the interest of the European Commission. After two years of scandals and abuses, the Commission still seems to be quite satisfied with the way things are organised, and still seems to believe that victims should put their faith in the very authorities that perpetrated the crimes in the first place. After two years and after all our investigations, now the Commission is, and I am quoting, I think, ‘exploring the possibility of a non-legislative initiative’. I mean, that is simply not enough, Madam Commissioner. And if the Commission is not willing to step up its game, and I say this in the friendliest way possible, we will have to find ways to force you to do so.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Hannes Heide
Political group: S-D
Country: Slovakia
Language: DE

Der Abschlussbericht zeichnet zudem ein erschreckendes Bild, wie rechtsstaatliche Grundsätze von nationalen Regierungen und außereuropäischen Einflüssen untergraben wurden. Und nach wie vor tauchen neue Fälle auf: Laut eines Berichts von Amnesty International verkaufte das französische Softwareunternehmen Nexa die Spionagesoftware Predator an autoritäre Regime, darunter die Regierung Vietnams. Hochrangige Vertreterinnen und Vertreter europäischer Institutionen wie Präsidentin Metsola oder Kollege Karleskind fielen der vietnamesischen Spionagekampagne zum Opfer. Server der Europäischen Kommission und wissenschaftlicher Dienste sollen ausgerechnet mit jener Software angegriffen worden sein, die auch das Mobiltelefon unseres ehemaligen Kollegen Nikos Androulakis ausspioniert hat. Der Handlungsbedarf ist offensichtlich, auch wenn die Vorwürfe überprüft werden müssen. Die Kommission ist verpflichtet, nach Verabschiedung einer Entschließung des Parlaments über konkrete Maßnahmen schriftlich zu antworten. Diese Frist dafür ist vor zwei Tagen abgelaufen. Eine Stellungnahme muss umgehend vorgelegt werden und nicht bald. Ich erwarte konkrete Vorschläge für einen Rechtsakt, der alle rechtlichen Möglichkeiten innerhalb der EU-Kompetenzen ausschöpft. Die Vielzahl der Fälle verdeutlicht, dass der bestehende Rechtsrahmen einfach nicht ausreichend ist. Das Vertrauen der europäischen Bürgerinnen und Bürger in Rechtsstaatlichkeit und Demokratie steht auf dem Spiel!
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Sophia in 't Veld
Political group: Renew
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Honestly, looking at the reply of the Commission, which took you four months to draft, it is a complete and utter waste of paper. it is worse, it is a provocation, it is a slap in the face of those people who have been targeted with spyware and a slap in the face for the victims of brutal regimes, which have bought spyware from Europe right under the nose of the Commission. ‘The European Commission strongly condemns’, oh, do I hear champagne corks popping in Casa de Leon? Because I don’t think that anybody will be very impressed. The sentence that shocks most in the report of the Commission is ‘we expect that national competent authorities and courts make full use of their powers to thoroughly investigate allegations regarding any unlawful surveillance activities.’ Well, here’s news for the Commission: the unlawful surveillance was actually carried out by those same competent authorities! It is like asking a burglar, ‘Please investigate the burglary.’ So why does the Commission continue with the pretence of compliance? It is like a fiction, like a myth. So to date, unsurprisingly, colleagues, in not a single case justice has been done. Not a single case. So what does the Commission have to offer to them? What do you say to the journalists who, at peril, have been continuously investigating this case? What do you have to say to independent authorities, to Mr Rammos in Greece, who is facing a lot of grief from the national authorities because he is investigating bravely? Now the Commission will present a non-legislative initiative. Don’t bother. Don’t bother. I think the interventions of my colleagues have also made it very clear that it is unacceptable. It is not a failure to act by the Commission, it is a refusal to act.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Hannah Neumann
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Commissioner, the European Union has one superpower. The superpower is to set standards and regulations that then become global ones. We have managed to regulate the use of ‘ABC’ – atomic, biological and chemical weapons – globally. The EU must now take the lead to also regulate the use of these digital weapons and ban its most intrusive forms. Frankly said, exploring options for a non-legislative proposal is not going to be good enough. So, I have only one question: when is the Commission putting forward a legislative proposal to fix this highly dangerous mess?
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Angel Dzhambazki
Political group: ECR
Country: Germany
Language: BG

В България има един независим журналист блогър, казва се Станислав Цанов. Той разкри и извади информация за това как е подслушван и как е заплашван от предполагаемо лице, свързано с българската организирана престъпност. Лице, което е направило днешното българско правителство, организирайки машините за гласуване. Г-жо ин'т Велд, виждам, че водите задушевен разговор. Дали би било удобно да си сложите слушалките, защото имам въпрос към Вас? Г-жо ин'т Велд, нищо ще Ви преведат след малко, явно няма да чуете.  А това, което се случва в момента в България, е следното нещо. Има доказателства за това, че човек е подслушван и машините за гласуване са направили това правителство. Комисията LIBE отказва да изслуша този човек или все още не е поканила този човек тук в Европейския парламент. Ако искате да чуете и Вие, г-жо Комисар, Вие също сте много гласна по тези теми, извикайте г-н Цанов в комисията LIBE и го чуйте. Той казва, че е бил подслушван, и казва, че е бил заплашван, и казва, че машините, с които се гласува в България – това са венецуелски машини, не знам дали знаете какво е това нещо – машини за гласуване от Венецуела. Знаете кой е на власт във Венецуела. Само в България и Венецуела се гласува така. Съгласни ли сте Вие следващите избори за Европейски парламент да бъдат проведени по този начин? Абсолютно таен, абсолютно фалшив. И това е на основата на подслушване и на заплашване.  Ето ви конкретен сигнал – човекът стои с името си, казва се Станислав Цанов. Може да го поканите, може да го изслушате. Някой може да обвини г-жа ин'т Велд, която през цялото време стои с гръб към мен, докато говоря. Не знам дали това е много любезно, не мисля, че е много любезно, но все пак, както се казва, въпрос на възпитание. Завършвам след една секунда, не съм завършил. Затова този човек трябва да бъде повикан, да бъде изслушан и тогава ще разберете как се формират правителствата в България. Много е важно и интересно.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Gilles Lebreton
Political group: ID
Country: Germany
Language: FR

Ce n’est, hélas, pas encore le cas à l’heure actuelle en Europe. La commission d’enquête du Parlement européen a révélé que 14 États membres de l’Union européenne sur 27 avaient utilisé le logiciel espion Pegasus, parfois en dehors de tout cadre légal. Se pose aussi le problème de l’exportation des logiciels espions dans des États hors de l’Union, qui les utilisent pour surveiller et réprimer leur population. On vient, par exemple, d’apprendre que l’entreprise française Nexa aurait vendu en 2020, en toute illégalité, le logiciel espion Predator à Madagascar. C’est d’autant plus inquiétant que la justice française a déjà ouvert une enquête contre les dirigeants de cette entreprise pour des faits similaires concernant l’Égypte et la Libye.  Il faut bien sûr dénoncer ces dérives, mais, dans la mesure où l’utilisation des logiciels espions met en jeu la sécurité nationale, j’estime que les États sont seuls compétents pour trouver les solutions adéquates. L’Union européenne n’a pas à s’ingérer dans leur domaine réservé.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Cornelia Ernst
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: DE

Und Fakt ist, EU und Mitgliedstaaten haben auf ganzer Linie bei der Regulierung von Spyware-Technologie versagt. Und mehr noch: Sie sind gar nicht gewillt, wirkliche Lösungen zu finden. Sie sind deshalb mitverantwortlich für Menschenrechtsverletzungen in der ganzen Welt aufgrund dieser Sache. Ich frage Sie: Wozu haben wir vor vier Monaten als PEGA-Ausschuss klare Handlungsempfehlungen an Kommission und Mitgliedstaaten vorgelegt? Der Sumpf der Spionagesoftwareindustrie muss endlich trockengelegt werden. Denn sonst können Überwachungsfirmen wie Intellexa und Cytrox weiter Millionenprofite auf Kosten der Menschenrechte einfahren – mit der Duldung der EU. Damit muss endlich Schluss sein!
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Clara Ponsatí Obiols
Political group: NI
Country: Slovakia
Language: EN

Mr President, this Parliament’s recommendations to Spain were crystal clear: conduct a full, fair and effective investigation into all spyware cases. These include spying on Catalan MEPs and our teams and many other Catalan politicians and activists. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recently urged similar demands to Spain. To date, no one, no one in the Spanish Government has been held accountable for the Catalan Gate and no one has even given a reasonable explanation for it, because there is none, aside from the authoritarian control of political rivals. Spain cannot get away with this violation of the rights of Catalans, especially not with the Union’s acquiescence. It is therefore paramount that serious accountability measures and sanctions are immediately put in place. Or are you normalising authoritarianism in the EU?
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez
Political group: PPE
Language: ES

Señor presidente, señora vicepresidenta, señor presidente en ejercicio del Consejo, me gustaría comenzar agradeciéndole su presencia hoy aquí, vicepresidenta, pero le queda mucho camino por recorrer a la Comisión para atender las recomendaciones recogidas en el informe de la Comisión de Investigación PEGA. Así que mi recomendación es: pónganse manos a la obra. A pesar de las circunstancias que están sucediendo en esta semana, me gustaría destacar el tema de los atentados yihadistas que acaban de golpear Europa. Tras el asesinato a sangre fría de un profesor en Francia, ayer dos ciudadanos suecos fueron tiroteados por otro terrorista islámico en Bruselas. Este retorno de una amenaza que algunos parecían haber olvidado nos recuerda una vez más la necesidad de que nuestros policías y nuestras fuerzas de seguridad cuenten con los recursos y las herramientas tecnológicas que son necesarias para hacerles frente. En una época de radicalización exprés de lobos solitarios que cometen atentados sin estar en contacto con otros terroristas, es más importante que nunca poder acceder a la información en sus dispositivos. Herramientas de  Pero los países democráticos, los países en los que rige el Estado de Derecho, los países en los que existe una supervisión judicial efectiva, como es el caso —salvo alguna excepción, como Polonia o Hungría— de la Unión Europea, deben poder enfrentarse al terrorismo con todas sus capacidades. Termino diciendo que tenemos que seguir trabajando en reforzar el Estado de Derecho allí donde corre el riesgo de fracturarse, por supuesto, pero no privando a nuestras fuerzas de policía de los recursos necesarios para seguir garantizando la libertad y la seguridad de todos.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Juan Fernando López Aguilar
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: ES

Señor presidente Angel, señora vicepresidenta Jourová, Presidencia española, durante más de un año, este Parlamento Europeo constituyó una comisión de investigación de la que tuve el honor de ser miembro, y trabajamos muy duramente para dar cuenta de los reportados abusos de una tecnología intrusiva de espionaje, en principio incompatible con la Carta de Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea. Establecimos conclusiones y la Comisión está tardando en cumplir nuestro mandato. La primera conclusión fue, por supuesto, una condena sin paliativos de cualquier abuso de esa técnica de espionaje dirigida a intimidar, chantajear o silenciar no ya a periodistas y libertad de prensa, sino a profesionales del Derecho u oponentes políticos, algo indiscriminadamente incompatible, por tanto, con el Derecho europeo. Pero, además, exigimos que se regulase el uso, venta o adquisición de estos programas de espionaje, y que se reglamentase por la Unión Europea la necesaria autorización judicial con protección de datos, confidencialidad de las comunicaciones personales y también protección especial para aquellas personas que gocen de inmunidad o secreto profesional porque son periodistas. Además, queremos que haya una cláusula de seguridad nacional establecida por el Derecho europeo y que exista también un laboratorio de referencia independiente de la Unión Europea para dar cuenta de cuándo un dispositivo de comunicaciones personales ha sido intervenido de manera intrusiva por esos programas de espionaje de los que disponen numerosos Estados miembros de la Unión Europea.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Salima Yenbou
Political group: Renew
Country: Spain
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, en juin dernier, nous étions déjà ici pour montrer les résultats de l’enquête de notre commission PEGA et demander d’urgence des réformes pour mieux contrôler les logiciels espions. Pourquoi cette urgence? Eh bien voilà, après Pegasus, on a Predator, qui a au moins le mérite d’être beaucoup plus clair dans sa dénomination.  Il existe encore bien trop de failles, et l’industrie de la cybersurveillance sait les exploiter en contournant la réglementation existante; elle trouvera toujours des clients parmi les pays pour qui les droits de l’homme ne sont clairement pas la priorité. De Pegasus à Predator, les députés – dont mon collègue Pierre Karleskind –, les opposants politiques, les journalistes et les ONG continuent d’être pris pour cible. Nos droits fondamentaux sont bafoués et nous restons passifs, donc impuissants.  En manquant de réactivité et d’efficacité pour construire un cadre législatif et réglementaire solide, nous avons présenté à la face du monde notre inefficacité. Cela doit nous servir de leçon. Il est temps d’agir; c’est notre devoir et c’est de notre compétence. J’espère que je n’aurai pas à répéter la même chose, une fois encore, dans quatre mois, car, je vous l’avoue, j’ai vraiment horreur de jeter du sel dans la mer.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Saskia Bricmont
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: France
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, Madame la Commissaire, vous nous dites, Madame Jourová, que les réponses de la Commission européenne aux recommandations de notre commission d’enquête Pegasus sont prêtes à être envoyées et que vous explorez la possibilité d’une initiative non législative. Cela sonne un peu comme une blague.  Face aux dernières révélations, alors qu’il y a plus de six mois que nous avons adopté nos recommandations législatives, la Commission et le Conseil ne bougent pas. De quoi s’agit-il cette fois? D’une société française de surveillance qui a violé la loi sur les biens à double usage en vendant, en toute impunité, un logiciel espion à des États autoritaires, qui, de toute évidence, allaient s’en servir contre des militants des droits de l’homme et l’opposition politique. Le Viêt Nam en fait partie.  Cette pratique nous revient aujourd’hui comme un boomerang, avec un flagrant délit d’ingérence étrangère du Viêt Nam dans les affaires européennes. La Présidente de cette assemblée a été espionnée, et nos institutions restent silencieuses!  Une réponse ferme doit être donnée aux États tiers qui nous espionnent. Le Viêt Nam a rompu le pacte de confiance qui nous lie depuis 2020. Cessons enfin d’être naïfs! Suspendons l’accord le temps qu’une enquête soit menée et fasse la lumière sur la situation. Il faut que le Viêt Nam montre des gages de transparence et de bonne coopération.  Par ailleurs, nous avons un tout nouvel instrument anticoercition, qui a été créé pour répondre à ce type de situation. J’aimerais aussi entendre la Commission à ce sujet.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Stelios Kouloglou
Political group: The Left
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Mr President, you know, sometimes there are very ironic historical coincidences. One hour ago, a Greek journalist, Stavros Malichudis, was awarded, among other journalists, the Daphne Caruana award we give in Parliament. The same person – Stavros Malichudis – was a victim of the spyware scandal in Greece one year ago. And you know, the pretext was that he was spied on because of national security protection. Now the Council wants to introduce the exemption for states to spy on journalists for national security. The Council must answer: how can you prevent ruthless governments – like the Orbán government or the Greek Government – from using the exception to spy on honest journalists like the one who just received the Caruana Prize. How can you exclude that? Can you prevent that? What about the recommendations of the PEGA Committee? One of the recommendations was to reinforce the independent authorities. And now in Greece, we have exactly the opposite: the violation of the independent authority concerning spyware.
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Tatjana Ždanoka
Political group: NI
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Mr President, a lot could have already been done since the adoption in June of European Parliament recommendations based on the proposals of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA), but this was not the case. For example, there is a call on national parliaments to set up meaningful oversight bodies of intelligence services and foster better cooperation among them to increase accountability and control, but there are no signals of any intention to implement them. For example, in my country, Latvia, a small country with two different intelligence services, nothing has been done. Another example is the proposals to integrate the spyware use monitoring in the Commission’s Rule of Law Report. I have already expressed my critical remarks on the Rule of Law Reports for previous years. For this year, 2023, the same thing. It is too general, nothing concrete. My question, Commissioner, is: do you think that the implementation of spyware use monitoring in Rule of Law Reports can have an effect?
Debate: Urgent need for a coordinated European response and legislative framework on intrusive spyware, based on the PEGA inquiry committee recommendations
Date: TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Andrzej Halicki
Political group: PPE
Country: Finland
Language: PL

Panie Przewodniczący! Chciałem z tego miejsca zapewnić, że nowy polski rząd nie tylko wyjaśni aferę związaną z nielegalnym używaniem nielegalnych oprogramowań szpiegowskich Pegasus w Polsce, ale także ukarze winnych, bo tak powinno być, jeżeli ma działać sprawiedliwość, prawo i sprawiedliwość.  Chciałem z tego miejsca jednak podkreślić ten apel, który jest niezbędny, bo naprawdę europejskie bezpieczeństwo jest zagrożone. Już nie tylko nasza prywatność, ale europejskie bezpieczeństwo, skoro systemy – już nie tylko Pegasus, ale także Predator – używane przez prywatne już firmy powiązane ze służbami, gdzie mamy rosyjskie ślady czy ślady związane z wrogami, działalnością wrogów Europy, Europy demokratycznej i wolnej, dotyczą instytucji europejskiej i dotyczą komisarza, dotyczą przewodniczącej Parlamentu. Sprawozdanie komisji Pegasusa, specjalnej komisji, której przewodniczył pan przewodniczący Lenners, zawiera bardzo dokładne rekomendacje. One są do wdrożenia natychmiast.  Mamy przed sobą także wybory, które być może będą również z tego tytułu zagrożone, bo jest ogromny handel i czarny rynek handlu danymi. Te systemy potrafią zmieniać zawartość, ale również wysyłać fałszywe informacje. Nie możemy być bezbronni i trzeba karać tych, którzy działają nielegalnie, ale także tworzyć własny system bezpieczeństwa europejskiego. I potrzebna jest współpraca także służb specjalnych europejskich, by uchronić nas, Europę przed działaniami wrogów Europy wykorzystującymi tę najnowocześniejszą technologię.