European Commission proposes enhanced rules for the control of dual-use technologies

The European Commission has issued a proposal for a regulation aimed to strengthen controls on exports of certain dual-use goods and technologies – those that ‘may be misused for human rights violations, terrorist acts or the development of weapons of mass destructions’. According to the Commission, one of the main elements of the proposal concerns the adding of a ‘human security’ dimension in export controls, to prevent human rights violations associated with certain cyber-surveillance technologies. The proposal is aimed, among others, to ensure that EU authorities can stop exports in cases where surveillance technology such as monitoring centers and data retention systems could be used for human rights violations, repression, or armed conflict. The export of encryption technologies also falls within the scope of this proposal.