MEPs Demand Probe into EU Funding of Spyware Companies
A group of MEPs has raised serious concerns about the use of EU funding for commercial spyware companies. In a letter, they question the governance, transparency, and accountability of EU funding mechanisms, highlighting instances where EU subsidies supported companies like Intellexa, Cy4Gate, Verint, and Cognyte, linked to unlawful surveillance.
The MEPs are particularly concerned about Italy's state-owned bank, Mediocredito Centrale, acting as a guarantor for a loan to Dataflow Security, an Italy-based spyware developer. They demand an immediate public review of EU subsidies flowing into spyware companies, seeking details on the total amount awarded and how the Commission aligns its funding with human rights and digital resilience stances.
Investigative journalism by Follow The Money revealed that EU funds have been awarded to spyware companies such as Mollitiam Industries, Innova, Area, Memento Labs, Negg Group, and Nexa Technologies. The MEPs ask for transparency on how the European Commission verifies the integrity of recipients and carries out risk assessments before investments. They request details on all funds issued to spyware companies since 2015, a commitment to excluding them from future EU funding, and a follow-up on the PEGA recommendations.
The MEPs, angered by the revelations, are pressing senior commissioners for answers, seeking to ensure EU funds are used responsibly and in line with the bloc's values and policies.
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