The Council of the European Union approved a resolution obliging messaging operators to create keys to monitor chats and messages with end-to-end encryption, reports ORF.
The initiative is primarily aimed at apps that support private messaging, such as WhatsApp and Signal, the publication reports.
An internal document dated November 6 was sent to the delegations of EU member states by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The Vienna terrorist attack provided the impetus for considering the document.
The authors of the document note the risks and abuses that digitisation brings:
“Law enforcement authorities are increasingly dependent on access to electronic evidence to effectively combat terrorism, organized crime, sexual violence against children, or cybercrime”.
The EU authorities note that the use of end-to-end encryption “extremely hinders the analysis of message content within the framework of access to electronic evidence”.
However, they acknowledge the need to strike a balance between encryption that protects citizens’ privacy and obtaining access to encrypted data to combat serious crime.
The resolution has already cleared the necessary approvals, and on 25 November it will be submitted to the Council of Permanent Representatives of EU member states.
It is expected that the document will be finally adopted at a videoconference of the EU interior and justice ministers in early December.
Work on the document regulating end-to-end encryption has been conducted at the EU level since 2015. It also involved Europol, the FBI and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The introduction of new rules in Europe has repeatedly been delayed due to opposition from major technology companies.
Eu Council Draft Declaration Against Encryption by ForkLog on Scribd
Back in June, Zoom’s leadership said it would grant the FBI access to users breaking the law, leaving end-to-end encryption of video calls only in paid plans. But after user protests, Zoom pledged to provide end-to-end encryption for all.
In October, regarding the “serious risks” of end-to-end encryption to public safety, stated by the ministries of justice of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and Japan.
The agencies urged tech companies to work with authorities and to provide for monitoring of illegal activity.
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