In a plenary debate on Wednesday 4 May, the European Parliament criticised the Council of the EU and the European Commission for refusing to carry out a proper investigation into accusations of spying on politicians or journalists by the Pegasus software and for hiding “behind national security” and the competences of the Member States, said Dutch MEP Jeroen Lenaers (EPP), chairman of the Parliament’s new committee of inquiry.
He said he was “disappointed” by the Commission’s attitude as Catalan MEPs and even Commissioner Didier Reynders were targeted.
This committee of inquiry, which began its work on 19 April, will have to “provide the answers you are not giving us” and “ban these tools”, said Saskia Bricmont (Greens/EFA, Belgium).
Sophie in ‘t Veld (Renew Europe, the Netherlands) said the European Parliament’s committee of inquiry should help establish “who” is behind the tapping, of which the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has also been a victim.
Commissioner Johannes Hahn spoke during the debate. While he condemned these practices and considered that they violated, among other things, the protection of communications and privacy, as set out in the e-Privacy Regulation, he considered that investigations were the responsibility of the Member States, which are competent in matters of national security. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)