EU: Proposed reform dangerously erodes privacy, automates surveillance

> The new mandate fundamentally undermines data categorisation obligations, allowing Europol to process personal data indiscriminately regardless of whose data it is – including data from people with no link to crime. An exceptional measure under the 2022 revision, such circumventions from Europol’s own data protection rules are now normalised.

> The new mandate introduces an automatic and systematic upload of information exchanged and managed by national police forces to Europol’s databases. It will surely increase the number of people whose personal data is unlawfully accessed by Europol.

> Europol can proceed with sensitive data processing operations without prior approval by its data protection watchdog, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), if Europol deems it “urgent and necessary”, or the EDPS fails to provide their opinion within two months.

original title: Proposed reform dangerously erodes privacy, automates surveillance, and sidelines oversight