European Commission takes aim at end-to-end encryption and proposes Europol become an EU FBI

The European Commission unveiled ProtectEU, an internal security strategy responding to a changing geopolitical landscape, aiming to make Europol a more operational agency, develop roadmaps for lawful access to data and encryption that safeguard cybersecurity and fundamental rights, enhance EU-level intelligence sharing via SIAC, and introduce a new Cybersecurity Act despite uneven national implementation of existing laws. The strategy acknowledges political and structural constraints among Member States and aligns with broader initiatives like the Preparedness Union Strategy, the Defence White Paper, and the forthcoming Democracy Shield.