EU Member States must remain vigilant about the development of new technologies and their impact on internal security, including artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft, new communication networks and online environments that "can support the work of authorities, but can also be used for illegal purposes".
This message is one of the main points of the report on the future of internal security policy in the EU that the Finnish Presidency of the EU Council will submit to the EU Home Affairs Ministers meeting in Brussels on 2 December.
They will also be invited to learn how best to manage all the data that will be available to law enforcement authorities as interoperability devices are developed and allow simultaneous access to more data. Thus, in a report dated 22 November and seen by EUROPE, the Finnish Presidency considers that work should perhaps be done to develop a framework on the proper use of all this available information.
"Law enforcement cooperation at EU level will increasingly rely on improved and more effective technological solutions and information systems and their interoperability. In an era of large volumes of digital data, law enforcement authorities have access to more data and information than ever before", explains the Presidency, which also notes that in some cases, the data available to the authorities are incomplete or of low quality, which also needs to be addressed.
Thought must also be given to how European security agencies, such as Europol or eu-LISA, can fulfil all their missions in a context of limited resources.
Finally, it is necessary to consider a better interaction of these agencies with private entities and no longer only with public authorities, the Presidency asking whether there should be a review of Europol's legal basis for requesting and receiving personal data directly from private bodies.
On Monday, ministers will also have a discussion on the implementation of the rules on the interoperability of information systems adopted at the beginning of 2019. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)