The Coalition Against Unlawful Surveillance Exports (CAUSE), which FIDH is a member of, issued a policy paper "A critical opportunity : bringing surveillance technologies within the EU Dual-Use Regulation", calling on the EU to take the opportunity to update its Dual Use Regulation to ensure that surveillance technologies are not exported from Europe and used for human rights violations.
CAUSE’s proposals aim to ensure that the Dual Use Regulation, which is currently under review and legally binding upon all EU member states, effectively regulates the trade in surveillance technologies, brings transparency and accountability to the industry, and protects legitimate security research.
The policy paper’s key asks are that :
- All relevant surveillance technology is subject to licensing
- Human rights implications are appropriately incorporated within assessment criteria, consistent with obligations under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
- Disparate national policies facilitating licensing avoidance and potential loopholes in enforcement mechanisms are addressed, and greater transparency of exports is promoted
- Legitimate security research and the development of legitimate security tools are not subject to controls and are subject to explicit exemptions
- Controls of encryption and encryption products be eradicated.
In December 2014, FIDH published a position paper "Surveillance Technologies « Made in Europe » : Regulation Needed to Prevent Human Rights Abuses", calling on the EU and the international community to effectively regulate the export of surveillance technologies used by repressive regimes to commit human rights violations.
Read CAUSE’s policy paper : "A critical opportunity : bringing surveillance technologies within the EU Dual-Use Regulation"
More information on the Coalition Against Unlawful Surveillance Exports (CAUSE)
A critical opportunity : bringing surveillance technologies within the EU Dual-Use Regulation