The European Commission has expressed concern over reports of the possible misuse of spyware and mobile phone forensic tools to unlawfully monitor journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents, and other individuals in Serbia.
The Commission’s response came after Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) sought comment on findings by Human Rights Watch (HRW), which reported that Bulgarian authorities had approved export licenses for surveillance technology to countries, including Serbia, where the use of spyware against government critics has been documented.
HRW warned that such technologies could be misused to facilitate unlawful surveillance.
A European Commission spokesperson stated:
“Any attempt to unlawfully access the data of citizens, including journalists and political opponents, if confirmed, is unacceptable.”
The Commission also recalled that its 2025 Serbia Report warned that unlawful surveillance has a “chilling effect” on society and can lead to self-censorship, particularly among journalists and civil society.
The spokesperson emphasized that investigating such allegations is the responsibility of national authorities and said the Commission expects all credible claims to be fully investigated in order to restore public trust.
According to HRW, documents show that the Bulgarian company Circles BG held an export license allowing surveillance technology to be exported to Serbia between August 2023 and August 2024.
The organization noted that this period coincides with previously documented cases involving mobile phone hacking tools and spyware allegedly used against independent journalists and civil society activists.
The license reportedly covered “Pixel Move,” a mobile phone tracking system capable of intercepting voice communications, text messages, and internet traffic.
Circles is a Bulgarian company linked to NSO Group, the Israeli cyber-intelligence firm behind the controversial Pegasus spyware, which has been associated with covert surveillance operations in multiple countries, including Serbia.
However, HRW said it could not determine whether the export license was actually used or whether the equipment was ultimately delivered to Serbia.
RFE/RL said it requested comments from the authorities in Serbia, Bulgaria, and the company itself, but received no response.
The Commission acknowledged that both HRW and Amnesty International have criticized the EU for insufficient oversight of surveillance technology exports by member states.
Brussels said it is currently reviewing HRW’s report and reiterated that the EU has significantly strengthened export controls on dual-use technologies, including cyber-surveillance products.
Under EU rules, such technologies cannot be exported without authorization from the competent authority of an EU member state. National authorities are responsible for granting or denying export licenses and must assess the risk that exported technologies could be used for internal repression or serious human rights violations.
The Commission also announced that it will soon launch a comprehensive review of the EU Dual-Use Regulation, including rules governing cyber-surveillance exports, with the evaluation expected to be completed in early 2027.
Finally, Brussels stressed that these standards also apply to Serbia as an EU candidate country, emphasizing that it will continue to closely monitor developments related to the rule of law and fundamental rights as part of Serbia’s accession process.
The issue of unlawful surveillance of journalists and activists in Serbia has also been highlighted by several international institutions, including the Council of Europe, in its resolution on the state of democracy in Serbia adopted on 23 June.
