More transparency of export controls, CIHR addresses parliamentary committee
“The German federal government should push for greater transparency and a greater role for human rights in the new EU dual-use regulation” – said Ben Wagner during a public expert hearing at the German Bundestag on Wednesday, December 16th, 2015.
“Export controls regulation remain one of least transparent areas of government regulation” – says Dr. Ben Wagner, the Director of the Centre of Internet & Human Rights (CIHR) at the European University Viadrina. “Also, human rights should be at the core of current export control regulations in Europe” – Wagner adds.
The topic of this hearing was “Improving effectiveness of export controls of surveillance and espionage software on the German national and European level and public calls for tenders”. The hearing was proposed by the parliamentary committee “Digital Agenda”.
More information (in German):
- Experten zu Überwachungstechnik: “Exploits radikal verbieten”, article in Heise Online here.
- Information about the hearing here.
- Statements by the experts here.
- Video of the hearing here.
Wagner’s research focuses on communicative ruptures, digital rights and the Internet in foreign policy. Ben Wagner has done extensive research on export controls of surveillance technologies and is regularly asked to present his work at the European Parliament and government agencies.
There are growing concerns about human rights violations caused by surveillance technologies. Export controls are discussed as an effective means to prevent oppressive regimes from using such technologies. Hence, export controls of surveillance technologies are becoming an increasingly important dimension of international relations.
More information about CIHR’s research about Export Control of Surveillance Technologies is available here.
