BRUSSELS – December 14, 2020 – BSA | The Software Alliance welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) e-Evidence Report. BSA calls for the European Commission and Member States to work with the Parliament to ensure the establishment of EU-wide rules on law enforcement access to data.

“The European Parliament’s e-Evidence Report significantly enhances the original Commission proposal, introducing strong safeguards for EU citizens, legal certainty for service providers complying with the regulation, and a more transparent coordination process between law enforcement agencies and technology providers across borders,” said Matteo Quattrocchi, Senior Manager, Policy – EMEA at BSA. “Law enforcement agencies increasingly rely on efficient access to cross-border digital evidence to conduct criminal investigations. To maintain trust in the rule of law, safeguards must be put in place to make sure that EU fundamental rights are respected and that the responsibilities and obligations of service providers are sensible and clear. BSA looks forward to working with the EU Institutions as they engage in trilogues and encourages negotiating parties to maintain the key elements adopted in the Parliament’s Report.”

BSA recently released a set of Global Best Practices for Law Enforcement Access to Digital Evidence that promote strong commitments to privacy, security, transparency, and the rule of law while fostering collaboration between policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and technology providers in fighting crime.

To learn more about BSA’s work on Law Enforcement Access to Data, visit: https://www.bsa.org/policy-issues/law-enforcement-government-access-data