EP sets up investigative committee into use of Pegasus spyware

The European Parliament (EP) announced on Thursday it had created a "committee of enquiry" to look into use of "Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware," by member states, an issue which has caused a scandal in Poland.

The committee will examine whether such spyware was used for political ends, for example against journalists, politicians and lawyers, as well as looking into existing national laws regulating surveillance.

"The 38-member 'Committee of inquiry to investigate the use of the Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware' will investigate alleged breaches of EU law in the use of the surveillance software by, among others, Hungary and Poland," an EP press release said.

Poland's opposition have accused the ruling party, the conservative Law and Justice (PiS), of purchasing Pegasus from the Israeli firm NSO to spy on government opponents, citing reports from Citizen Lab, a specialised unit at the University of Toronto, phone maker Apple and Amnesty International.