Human Rights Watch has accused the European Union of failing to effectively prevent the export of surveillance technology to governments known for committing serious human rights abuses. In a newly released report, the organization argues that despite the EU’s existing regulatory framework for dual-use technologies, weak implementation and insufficient oversight have allowed European-made surveillance tools to reach countries that use them to monitor activists, journalists, opposition figures, and civil society organizations.
The report focuses on the EU’s 2021 Dual-Use Regulation, which was intended to strengthen controls on the export of technologies that can serve both civilian and military purposes, including spyware and telecommunications interception systems. According to Human Rights Watch, the regulation introduced important safeguards such as human rights considerations and transparency obligations, but these protections have not been effectively enforced in practice.
Human Rights Watch states that data obtained through freedom of information requests reveals multiple examples of surveillance technologies being exported from EU member states to countries with documented histories of digital repression and rights violations. The organization specifically highlighted cases involving exports from Bulgaria to Azerbaijan and from Poland to Rwanda, among other destinations where surveillance technologies have reportedly been used to suppress dissent and restrict civic freedoms.
A major criticism in the report concerns the lack of transparency in how the European Commission and member states report surveillance technology exports. Human Rights Watch argues that current reporting systems obscure critical details about what technologies are being exported and to whom. The organization claims that broad interpretations of commercial confidentiality and national security exemptions have significantly limited public scrutiny and accountability.
The report also raises concerns about the growing global market for spyware, hacking tools, and digital interception systems developed by companies operating within the EU. Human rights advocates warn that these technologies can contribute to unlawful surveillance, intimidation, arbitrary detention, and other abuses when sold to authoritarian governments. Researchers note that journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, and political opponents are often among the primary targets of digital surveillance operations.
Human Rights Watch is urging the European Commission to strengthen due diligence requirements, improve transparency standards, and ensure that export licensing decisions prioritize human rights protections. The organization argues that stronger enforcement mechanisms are necessary to prevent European technologies from contributing to repression and violations of international human rights law.
