unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Jordi Cañas
Political group: Renew
Country: Portugal
Language: ES

Señor presidente, desde Ciudadanos denunciamos desde el primer día que los trabajos de la Comisión de Investigación Encargada de Examinar el Uso del Programa Espía de Vigilancia Pegasus y Otros Programas Equivalentes podrían ser instrumentalizados por delincuentes condenados o por fugados de la justicia por violar la democracia y el Estado de Derecho o por peones del Kremlin en su estrategia para debilitar las democracias europeas. En resumen, decíamos que corríamos el riesgo de que Pegasus se convirtiese en el caballo de Troya y que algunos le abrieran las puertas. Desgraciadamente, no lo evitamos en el informe votado en comisión, que es un texto que voluntariamente presenta sospechas, conjeturas o especulaciones como si fueran certezas, y suposiciones e inferencias como si fueran hechos probados. A afortunadamente sí se ha conseguido en esta Resolución, que sí que será votada en este Pleno y que va a proponer medidas concretas para garantizar los derechos y libertades de los ciudadanos europeos frente a intromisiones ilegales en su intimidad.  Sin embargo, es necesario destacar que hay que garantizar que todos los Estados miembros utilicen todos los mecanismos, todos los instrumentos y toda la tecnología para defender nuestras democracias. Un Estado de Derecho tiene el derecho a defender a sus ciudadanos utilizando programas de seguimiento, que solo son espías cuando se utilizan sin mandamiento judicial, algo que esta Resolución puede contribuir a evitar.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Marcel Kolaja
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, dear Commissioner, absent Council, abuses of spyware to break into mobile phones of opposition politicians, journalists, activists, but also ordinary citizens, recording everything the victims do, what they say, who they meet, gaining access to their videos and photos, email, anything stored on their devices. Dear colleagues, were speaking about the European Union. We know for sure that there are multiple governments in Europe who acquired these technologies. But where the shock starts is the undeniable evidence that some governments abused spyware to spy on their opponents and seriously undermine the rule of law and the trust of citizens in democracy in their countries. That must stop now, even though I believe that we need a ban on the use of such technologies, the compromise we reached is a good start and going into a good direction. But our work is not done. The ball is now in the hands of the Commission and the national governments. Please act.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Eugen Tomac
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: RO

Domnule președinte, domnule comisar, stimați colegi, în mai puțin de un an, cetățenii europeni vor fi invitați să-și aleagă reprezentanții în Parlamentul European. Întrebarea este, poate Uniunea Europeană garanta cetățenilor europeni corectitudinea și legitimitatea acestora, în condițiile în care programele spion și-au dovedit eficiența în manipularea proceselor electorale?  Utilizarea abuzivă a programelor spion înseamnă mai mult decât intruziune în viața privată, este o amenințare reală pentru stabilitatea și securitatea statelor. Să ne amintim cât au făcut și continuă să facă dezinformarea și propaganda rusă. Acestea, la fel ca programele spion, sunt arme extrem de puternice, folosite pe scară largă de cei care urmăresc să reducă la tăcere opoziția, jurnaliștii incomozi, criticii, să calce în picioare libertatea și democrația.  Este evident că instituțiile europene trebuie să facă mai mult, trebuie să aibă o poziție mult mai curajoasă și mai fermă pentru a se asigura că aceste arme nu sunt livrate direct în mâinile inamicilor democrației și libertății de exprimare. Cetățenii europeni vor merge la urne cu încrederea că vocea lor va fi auzită, iar rezultatul votului lor va fi corect, fără posibilitatea de a fi manipulat sau alterat în orice fel.  De aceea avem nevoie de mai multă transparență și siguranță pentru a câștiga încrederea cetățenilor.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Sylvie Guillaume
Political group: S-D
Country: Slovakia
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, demain, nous allons voter la recommandation de la commission PEGA, dont les travaux vont nous permettre de lutter contre l’utilisation abusive des logiciels espions en Europe. Je veux remercier singulièrement Sophia et Hannes de ce travail réalisé ces derniers mois, puisque ces quatorze mois d’enquête, ce sont des missions et des auditions parfois extrêmement techniques et souvent tellement édifiantes, et cela aboutit enfin. Cela fait d’autant plus regretter l’absence des mots «moratoire immédiat», bien que ce texte constitue une base cruciale pour la protection des droits des citoyens européens. Les nombreuses recommandations formulées devront être suivies d’effets et de propositions législatives, car, quotidiennement, de nouvelles révélations d’abus apparaissent quand, dans le même temps, ces technologies se déploient à une vitesse vertigineuse. La Commission, mais surtout les États membres, ne doivent donc pas prendre ces recommandations à la légère. Il faut des mesures concrètes pour protéger l’état de droit et la démocratie en Europe. Grâce notamment au groupe S&D, le texte appelle à une définition claire de «sécurité nationale», termes fort utiles pour justifier l’utilisation de logiciels espions, même quand ils sont utilisés à des fins non légitimes contre des défenseurs des droits de l’homme, des avocats, des journalistes et des opposants politiques. J’insiste sur ce point: de tels outils ne devrait pas être utilisés, ou comme dernier recours, avec des garanties très sévères.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Katalin Cseh
Political group: Renew
Country: Sweden
Language: EN

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, well, the Pegasus scandal broke two years ago, and unfortunately this parliament is still among the very, very few political voices who refuse to let it be swept under the rug.  But we have to confront the reality. EU governments are using military-grade spyware against journalists and critics. Just imagine a reporter trying to work to hold the government accountable.  In Hungary, ministers are literally cordoning themselves off and do everything to avoid answering critical questions. And as a thank you, yet again, for the public service the journalists are doing, well, they have their life invaded and their phones tapped. Every intimate detail, every family photo, every private conversation is now subject to the prying eyes and ears of those in power. Colleagues, this is totalitarianism, and we can never, ever accept that this is happening today in the European Union.  And I thank the rapporteur, Sophie in 't Velt, for her relentless fight for EU-level action. With this resolution, we demand common standards, clear limitations on targets and robust legal remedies for the victims. It is the bare minimum for a functioning democracy.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Evin Incir
Political group: S-D
Country: Hungary
Language: EN

Mr President, colleagues, it is unbelievable how spyware programs are being used against innocent people. Imagine a spyware program that, in secrecy, reads your messages, listens to your phone calls, collects your passwords, follows your every move, has access to your microphone – and camera for that sake – and steals information from your phone. Well, since some time back, we know that we do not need to imagine it. The spyware from the Israeli cyber—intelligence firm Pegasus is here and has been used,  and that is what the recommendations in the report are very, very clearly stating.  But on what grounds the license access is given, to whom it’s given and who it is being used against we have less knowledge on. Illegal and totally groundless surveillance is one of the biggest threats against our democratic European Union. It is therefore unacceptable that Pegasus and other equivalent systems are being used against civil society organisations, opposition journalists and dissidents so, unfortunately, I am not surprised that the situation is worse in Hungary and Poland.  The situation is alarming to the extent that all of us MEPs were encouraged to check our phones. We need to take total control over these systems to ensure integrity and privacy.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Bart Groothuis
Political group: Renew
Country: Portugal
Language: EN

Mr President, dear Commissioner, it makes perfect sense that some EU Member States use commercial spyware to fulfil legitimate law enforcement requirements.  That’s not the problem. The real problem, of course, is, like the rapporteur said, that some EU Member States use this spyware to discredit the democratic opposition and kill democracy in Europe. Poland, Hungary, Greece – shame on them.  And I have a triple call to action to the Commission. First, since it is often the Israeli Government signing export licences for the spyware used to kill democracy in Europe, the EU should exert significant pressure on Jerusalem to halt such exports.  Secondly, together with our American friends, the EU should put forward primary and secondary sanctions to entities who sell to the rule of law violators. Put these companies out of business.  And, last but not least, let me remind the Commissioner that it was the brilliant Canadian NGO Citizens Lab who disclosed the Pegasus spyware scandal here in Europe in the first place. Where, dear Commissioner, is the European equivalent to investigate such technical operations? My amendment to the European budget has already created a budget line to create such an institution. It’s now up to you to follow up and make it happen.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Demetris Papadakis
Political group: S-D
Country: Finland
Language: EL

Κύριε Πρόεδρε, το σκάνδαλο Pegasus, Predator και τα συναφή λογισμικά έφεραν στην επιφάνεια την υπαναχώρηση της δημοκρατίας, καθώς και την παραβίαση των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων και της προσωπικής ζωής των πολιτών στην Ευρώπη. Δυστυχώς, αυτού του είδους τα συστήματα δεν χρησιμοποιήθηκαν μόνο για λόγους εθνικής ασφαλείας ή για την καταπολέμηση της τρομοκρατίας, αλλά για παρακολούθηση πολιτικών αντιπάλων, όπως στην περίπτωση του προέδρου του ΠΑΣΟΚ, Νίκου Ανδρουλάκη, καθώς και δημοσιογράφων που απλά έκαναν καλά τη δουλειά τους.  Στην Κύπρο ακόμη αναμένουμε συγκεκριμένες απαντήσεις από τις αρμόδιες αρχές του κράτους. Ποιοι κατείχαν αυτού του είδους τα λογισμικά και ποιους παρακολουθούσαν; Από το 2019 αναμένουμε απαντήσεις και δυστυχώς επικρατεί μια ύποπτη σιωπή. Είναι γνωστό πλέον ότι αυτά τα λογισμικά κυκλοφορούσαν στην αγορά λες και ήταν απλά καταναλωτικά αγαθά. Αυτό το οποίο πρέπει να γίνει, πέραν των αυστηρών διαδικασιών κυκλοφορίας τους, είναι τα κράτη μέλη να επιβάλλουν αυστηρές και εξοντωτικές ποινές σε αυτούς που αυθαιρετούν και βιάζουν τη δημοκρατία.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Ivo Hristov
Political group: S-D
Country: France
Language: BG

Г-н Председател, аферата „Пегас“ показа как технологиите корумпират морала, отваряйки възможности за злоупотреби, на които човешката природа не може да устои. Шпионският софтуер прави все по-условна разликата между демокрациите и диктатурите, защото психологията на властимащия е една и съща, независимо от политическата система. „Пегас“ взломява личното пространство на всеки от нас и зачерква правата и свободите, които законите ни прокламират.  Нашите закони бранят личността, а „Пегас“ взривява самото понятие за личност и я превръща в прозрачен масив от данни, с които властта и заинтересовани лица могат да злоупотребят. В редица страни от Европейския съюз протичат ерозиращи демокрацията процеси, ограничаващи свободите ни. Случаите на незаконна употреба на шпионския софтуер растат главоломно. Затова приветствам препоръката на Парламента за политически и институционални реформи, които да осигурят надеждни гаранции на правата ни. Те са част от битката за бъдещето на нашите демокрации.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Ljudmila Novak
Political group: PPE
Country: Lithuania
Language: SL

Gospod predsednik. Spoštovani gospod komisar, kolegice in kolegi. Politiki vseh barv iz vseh držav so v veliki skušnjavi, da bi prišli na oblast oziroma ostali na oblasti tudi s pomočjo nedovoljenih sredstev.  Med zaslišanji v odboru Pegasus pa se je pokazalo, da so demokratično izvoljene vlade v demokratičnih državah Evropske unije delovale povsem nedemokratično, ko so nezakonito prisluškovale svojim državljanom. Med obravnavo posameznih držav je prihajalo tudi do napetosti in obtoževanj med poslanci iz različnih držav, iz različnih strank iz iste države.  Vse to kaže, da potrebujemo evropski zakonodajni okvir in evropski nadzor nad državami članicami pri spoštovanju demokratičnih vrednot in spoštovanju človekovih pravic.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Barry Andrews
Political group: Renew
Country: Ireland
Language: EN

Mr President, Commissioner and colleagues, I would like to congratulate the rapporteur for the extremely thorough work done on revealing the extent and methods of the use of commercial spyware. The report concludes that many of these companies are registered in Ireland, without any substantial presence, such as office space or employees.  One such spyware company is registered to a company formation specialist at an office in the centre of Dublin. According to  The Irish Parliament’s justice committee has agreed to my request that hearings take place on whether it is appropriate that such companies are registered in Ireland. I say this to illustrate that if the Council won’t act, national parliaments have a critical role to play, to call out the failure to regulate, to protect and safeguard our citizens and our democracy.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Beata Mazurek
Political group: ECR
Country: Malta
Language: PL

Panie Przewodniczący! Panie Komisarzu! Komisja PEGA zamiast skupiać się na zagrożeniach płynących z zewnątrz, narażających na niebezpieczeństwo kraje i urzędników unijnych, woli atakować te, które według Unii są niedostatecznie praworządne, robiąc z nich chłopców do bicia. Warto podkreślić, że oprogramowania Pegasus używa większość krajów Unii Europejskiej, choć dla opinii publicznej rysuje się obraz, że czynią to tylko Węgry i Polska i posługują się nim w sposób nielegalny, używając go do ograniczenia swobód obywatelskich i walki z opozycją, co jest oczywistą bzdurą.  W Polsce, wbrew narracji autorów raportu, istnieją silne zabezpieczenia i w przeciwieństwie do niektórych innych państw istnieje sądowa kontrola wszelkich podsłuchów zakładanych przez służby. Nie ma więc mowy o nadużyciach. Państwa muszą posiadać nowoczesne systemy, gdyż w epoce hybrydowych zagrożeń oraz zaawansowanych technologii używanych przez terrorystów niekorzystanie z takich urządzeń byłoby naiwne i czyniłoby nas bezbronnymi. Jednak może Unii nie zależy na bezpieczeństwie państw członkowskich, ale na poszerzeniu własnych kompetencji. A na to nie ma naszej zgody.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Political group: The Left
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Mr President, we welcome the report on the use of Pegasus. It makes for shocking, but not surprising, reading on the actions of the apartheid state of Israel and the use of Pegasus software as a matter of diplomacy, with the report highlighting how the sale of Pegasus software is used as a diplomatic bargaining chip, with countries turning a blind eye to Israel’s actions domestically. The report also highlights how numerous EU Member States fully engaged in the industry. On my own country, Ireland, the report states, ‘Ireland offers favourable fiscal arrangements to a large spyware vendor’. If we’re serious about strictly regulating the use and trade of spyware, we must first start in our own backyard and ensure that EU Member States are prevented from promoting and profiteering from a product that essentially amounts to mass surveillance.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Didier Reynders
Language: FR

Concernant le comportement de la Commission européenne, je veux rappeler que, pour ma part, j’ai eu l’occasion de répondre à plusieurs invitations de votre commission, mais j’ai également soulevé le problème de l’utilisation de Pegasus en Espagne ou de Predator en Grèce, par exemple, lors de mes visites sur place et de mes rencontres avec les gouvernements. J’ai également transmis une demande d’information auprès des États membres, qui doivent superviser et contrôler leurs services de sécurité, afin de s’assurer qu’ils respectent pleinement les droits fondamentaux, en ce compris la protection des données à caractère personnel, la sécurité des journalistes et la liberté d’expression. The Commission sent letters to all the Member States about the legal framework governing the use of spyware in order to examine the interplay with EU data protection law. We ask a series of questions, including the purposes under which spyware is permitted for law enforcement purposes, for national security or other purposes, the relevant safeguards that are applicable when a spyware is used for law enforcement and for national security purposes with full respect for the principles of proportionality and necessity.  It is not a straightforward exercise given the diversity of the response received. It also requires putting Member States’ responses in the context of their relevant national framework.  We continue to analyse the responses based on the report and recommendation of the PEGA Committee, as well as our own fact-gathering exercise, the Commission will decide on the most appropriate way forward to better protect the citizens.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Sophia in 't Veld
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Then on national security. National security is very important, but it has become a blanket exemption to the democratic rule of law. It is very important that we get a clear demarcation where there is a unified European definition or the obligation for Member States to define, but there has to be a definition of national security. Commissioner, this is a full-blown democratic crisis and therefore we need a crisis response, not a technocratic, legalistic and timid reaction. We need to act as we did in the other crises, as I have said before, because Commissioner – this is my last sentence, Mr President – not a thousand democracy action plans can save our democracy if we just stand by and watch how it is being destroyed. There is a broad majority for the recommendations. Please, Commissioner, act on this with all the strengths that you have.
Debate: Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Laura Ferrara
Political group: NI
Country: Poland
Language: IT

È inconcepibile consentire tutto questo senza individuare responsabilità e senza distinguere con chiarezza le attività lecite da quelle illecite. I sistemi di sorveglianza informatica si sono rivelati strumenti il cui uso illegale rappresenta un enorme rischio per lo stato di diritto, la democrazia e la tutela dei diritti fondamentali, sia a livello nazionale che europeo.  Il problema va affrontato con urgenza e sono necessari mirati interventi, soprattutto legislativi, per tentare di porre un argine a un mercato di software-spia e pratiche carenti di regole comuni. Le raccomandazioni contenute nella relazione della commissione PEGA vanno nella giusta direzione. La Commissione europea e il Consiglio facciano ora la loro parte nel metterle in atto.
Debate: Make Europe the place to invest
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Andreas Schwab
Political group: PPE
Country: Poland
Language: DE

Wir waren mit dem Binnenmarktausschuss vor wenigen Wochen in Singapur, und große Staatsfonds investieren seit vielen Jahren – und auch heute – lieber in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika als in der Europäischen Union. Deshalb müssen wir darüber nachdenken, was wir verbessern können, um derartige Investitionsentscheidungen noch stärker nach Europa zu lenken. Herr Kommissar Reynders, ich habe Ihnen natürlich sehr aufmerksam zugehört, aber es hat mich ein Stück weit an meine Zeit in Frankreich erinnert, wo ich mal studiert habe und wo sich die Presse sehr stark über  Zu Recht wurde deshalb ganz am Anfang erwähnt, dass wir mehr in Resilienz investieren müssen. Dafür gibt es natürlich eine ganze Reihe von Märkten, wo wir mehr tun können. Wir brauchen mehr Resilienz im europäischen Energiebinnenmarkt. Dafür brauchen wir einen Vorschlag für einen voll integrierten europäischen Energiebinnenmarkt. Wir brauchen mehr Resilienz in den europäischen Telekommunikationsmärkten. Deswegen freue ich mich, dass zumindest Herr Kommissar Breton diese Idee aufgegriffen hat. Ich hoffe, dass wir das in den kommenden Monaten auch bereits vorbereiten können. Das Thema Investment habe ich schon angesprochen. Aber es gibt natürlich ein drittes Thema, das beide Dinge miteinander verbindet, und das ist mir als Vertreter des Ausschusses für Binnenmarkt und Verbraucherschutz besonders wichtig: Wir müssen dafür sorgen, dass wir tatsächlich dahin kommen, dass unsere europäischen Regeln, soweit sie den Binnenmarkt betreffen, auch überall gleich gelten und gleich angewendet werden. Es kann nicht angehen, dass wir bei Gesetzen, die bestimmten Kolleginnen und Kollegen halt besonders gut gefallen, dann wieder auf das Prinzip der Mindestharmonisierung zurückfallen. Globale Lieferketten, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, werden sich nicht an der Mindestharmonisierung orientieren zwischen Luxemburg und Zypern, sondern sie werden nur unsere Werte und unsere Vorstellungen akzeptieren und durchsetzen, wenn wir sie in Europa einheitlich vorsehen. Deswegen gilt es, noch mehr Einheitlichkeit im Binnenmarkt herzustellen.