European Parliament moves forward with cybercrime protocol ratification
The European Parliament’s civil liberties committee voted to ratify the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Protocol allows for emergency mutual assistance, joint investigations, and evidence collection via videoconference between signatory states. Civil society organizations criticized the Protocol for potential conflicts with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, while the European Data Protection Supervisor highlighted safeguards within the text.
The European Parliament’s civil liberties committee (LIBE) has voted for the parliament to move ahead with ratifying the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. More specifically, LIBE voted in favour of a draft European Parliament resolution that will give the parliament’s consent to a draft Council decision that allows EU member states to ratify the Additional Protocol.
Among other provisions, the Protocol introduces the possibility of emergency mutual assistance between signatories in addressing cybercrime, creates a legal framework for joint investigations, and makes it possible to collect evidence via videoconference where necessary.
The Protocol was criticised by civil society organisations citing incompatibilities with the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. At the same time, a January 2022 opinion from the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) underscored the “many safeguards” contained in the text despite the fact that some data transfers between the EU and the US would be facilitated under the agreement.
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