IT is key in European enforcement activities, as is shown in the article “Europol: Non-accountable cooperation with IT companies could go further” on the site of EDRi, European Digital Rights.

EDRi provided feedback in a European consultation on the mandate of the  European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol). Their responses are summarized on the first page of the feedback document as follows:

• EDRi recommends to first carry out a full evaluation of the 2016 Europol Regulation, before expanding the agency’s powers, in order to base the revision of its mandate on proper evidence;
• EDRi opposes the Commission’s proposal to expand Europol’s powers in the field of data exchange with private parties as it goes beyond Europol’s legal basis (Article 88(2));
• The extension of Europol’s mandate to request personal data from private parties promotes the voluntary disclosure of personal data by online service providers which goes against the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and national and European procedural safeguards;
• The procedure by which Europol accesses EU databases should be reviewed and include the involvement of an independent judicial authority;
• The Europol Regulation should grant the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group with real oversight powers.

More information:

EDRi  is an association of civil and human rights organisations from across Europe that defends rights and freedoms in the digital environment.

• Article Chloé Berthélémy “Europol: Non-accountable cooperation with IT companies could go further“.
• Contribution EDRi to the consultation, 8 July 2020.

Earlier articles on the EDRi site:

• Europol: Delete criminals’ data, but keep watch on the innocent (27.03.18)
• Oversight of the new Europol regulation likely to remain superficial (12.07.16)
• Europol: Non-transparent cooperation with IT companies (18.05.16)