EU's "ProtectEU" Plan Sparks Fears of Undermining Encryption

By Netvora Tech News

A group of over 80 privacy experts and civil rights organizations has published an open letter expressing concerns over the European Commission's plan to undermine encryption. The "ProtectEU" plan, which was unveiled last month, aims to improve law enforcement agencies' access to data for investigations. However, critics argue that the plan is actually a rehashing of the controversial chat control, wrapped in a new package.

The plan, which is part of the EU's new internal security strategy, includes a "Roadmap for lawful and effective access to data for law enforcement agencies." The roadmap is expected to be published this year. According to Finnish EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen, responsible for Digital Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, the roadmap will outline a technical approach to granting law enforcement agencies access to data, while also considering what is politically feasible. However, privacy experts and civil rights organizations are sounding the alarm.

Privacy Concerns

They are worried that the proposed framework for law enforcement agencies' access to data could undermine fundamental rights and compromise cybersecurity. The experts reiterate that there is scientific consensus that it is technically impossible to grant law enforcement agencies access to end-to-end encrypted communication without introducing vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors and repressive regimes.

The experts are calling on the European Commission to abandon the plan and instead work together to find long-term solutions to complex social problems that respect fundamental rights. They are also demanding that the Commission be present at the drafting of the roadmap.

Signatories

The open letter has been signed by prominent organizations including Big Brother Watch, Bits of Freedom, Chaos Computer Club, Electronic Frontier Foundation, European Digital Rights (EDRi), Privacy First, Privacy International, The Centre for Democracy & Technology Europe, and several prominent academics, including Bart Preneel, Jaap-Henk Hoepman, and Tanja Lange.

The experts are urging the European Commission to prioritize protecting fundamental rights and cybersecurity over law enforcement agencies' demands for greater access to data. They argue that investing in systems that have been proven to cause harm is not the answer, and that a more collaborative approach is needed to address complex social problems.

ProtectEU plan aims to improve law enforcement agencies' access to data for investigations
Critics argue that the plan is actually a rehashing of the controversial chat control
Privacy experts and civil rights organizations are worried about the impact on fundamental rights and cybersecurity
The experts are calling on the European Commission to abandon the plan and find alternative solutions