The European Parliament (EP) announced on Monday that restrictions will be placed on the export of dual use products and technologies, including cyber surveillance tools, in an effort to limit human rights violations.

In the press release, the EP stated:

the reviewed rules, agreed by Parliament and Council negotiators, govern the export of so-called dual use goods, software and technology—for example, high-performance computers, drones and certain chemicals—with civilian applications that might be repurposed to be used in ways which violate human rights. The current update, made necessary by technological developments and growing security risks, includes new criteria to grant or reject export licenses for certain items.

Markéta Gregorová, the rapporteur who has led the negotiating team since July 2020, said:

Today is a win for global human rights. We have set an important example for other democracies to follow. We will now have EU-wide transparency on the export of cyber surveillance and will control the export of biometric surveillance. Authoritarian regimes will no longer be able to secretly get their hands on European cyber-surveillance. We still do not have a level-playing field among EU countries but several new provisions allow for autonomous controls, better enforcement and coordination. I expect that member states’ obligation to uphold human rights and their own security will be the foundation of further work ahead.

The informal agreement needs to be endorsed by the International Trade Committee, Parliament as a whole, and the European Council before it can take effect.