Securing Democracy & Media Freedom: EU Action on Spyware and Surveillance

Center for Democracy & Technology

*REGISTRATION FOR ACCESS TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAS ENDED. A LINK TO FOLLOW ONLINE WILL BE PROVIDED*

European Parliament - Room ANTALL 6Q1

<h3>*Registration for access to the Parliament has closed. You can still attend the event in person if you have a badge to access the European  Parliament, otherwise, a link to follow online will provided to all attendees*</h3><p><br></p><p>The proliferation of spyware, particularly the use of Pegasus by the NSO Group and Graphite, has raised significant concerns about privacy, security, and human rights. Investigative efforts, such as those by CitizenLab and journalists, have revealed that spyware has been used to target individuals, including journalists, activists, and politicians, many of whom reside within the EU. A recent CitizenLab investigation revealed that over 90 individuals, including journalists and human rights defenders across EU Member States were targeted with zero-click spyware developed by Paragon Solutions.</p><p>This underscores the abuse of commercial spyware and the prevalence of unlawful surveillance practices across Europe. The European Parliament’s PEGA report highlighted systemic issues and the urgent need for action. However, despite these findings, the EU’s response remains inconsistent and insufficient.</p>

Agenda

Welcoming remarks by hosting MEP Krzysztof Brejza 

Keynote speech by Francesco Cancellato, Journalist and Spyware Target

Panel Discussion 

Closing Remarks by hosting MEP Birgit Sippel

Refreshments

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