EP: Pegasus special committee decided

With a broad majority of 635 votes in favor and only 36 against, the European Parliament has decided to set up a special committee to investigate the possible use of the Pegasus spyware from the Israeli manufacturer NSO Group in violation of European law. The task of the special committee covers not only this specific product, but also the use of comparable spyware. Both the use by EU member states such as Hungary and Poland and the use by third countries are to be investigated. The Special Committee’s mand ate explicitly includes the question of whether the use of spyware for „political, economic or other unjustified purposes“ against „journalists, politicians, law enforcement officials, diplomats, lawyers, business people, civil society representatives or others“ is a violation of European law.