Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake has launched a campaign that aims to stop European businesses selling surveillance equipment to authoritarian regimes.

In an email, Schaake explained:

“It is unacceptable that EU made technologies are still exported, deployed and operated by European companies to third countries without oversight.

Globally, citizen’s digital freedoms are under threat of mass-surveillance, censorship and hacking. So far the EU is unwilling to take action.

In October 2012 the European Parliament adopted legislative amendments that would curb the export of digital arms.

So far the European Commission and Member States are unwilling to meet Parliament’s demand, so we need vocal public support.”

Index shares Schaake’s concerns. Earlier this year, we joined an international coalition calling for an investigation into the use of FinFisher technology in Pakistan.

Before that, Index’s Mike Harris wrote about the topic for the Independent here.

You can find out more about the campaign at www.stopdigitalarms.eu