The Europol Platform for Experts (EPE) is addressing ‘challenges’ that law enforcement agencies are facing as a result of encryption. Besides access to end-to-end encryption, this also concerns the decryption of secure storage media. Decryption workshops on these themes are organised regularly for law enforcement agencies at the Commission’s Joint Research Centre, during which technical experts share information on skills and capabilities. With similar aims in mind, this theme has also been discussed within the Friends of the Presidency Group (Cyber Issues), which has now been absorbed by the Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues, a Council preparatory body.

1. Within what framework is the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE) addressing ‘challenges’ that law enforcement agencies are facing as a result of encryption and what groups or regular ‘expert workshops’ on encryption is it offering in relation to this theme?

2. What is the content of the decryption workshops being organised for law enforcement agencies at the Commission’s Joint Research Centre, how often are they offered and who takes part in them?

3. In relation to what questions has the Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues been dealing with the theme of cryptography and what arguments have representatives of the OECD and the Commission put forward in this regard?