EU Commission won't probe 'Pegasus' spyware abuse

Another commission spokesperson cited procedures, noted the commission cannot touch national security issues, and that people should instead seek justice at their respective national courts.

The comments come despite admissions that both Poland and Hungary have used Pegasus, a software developed by Israeli-based firm NSO. The spyware is supposed to be used against terrorists and takes control over a person's phone. It can, for instance, turn on audio or video recording.

Both member states are also under heavy scrutiny for backsliding on rule of law.

In Poland, the erosion of judicial independence has landed Warsaw with €1 million daily fines from the European Court of Justice. In Hungary, allegations of corruption and fraud of EU funds by its ruling elite have long irritated members of the European Parliament.

The commission statement follows revelations last month that EU commissioner Didier Reynders and at least four other commission staff had been targeted by Pegasus.

It also follows revelations this week that a handful of European lawmakers from Catalonia had been ensnared in the digital dragnet.

Among them was Green Spanish MEP Diana Riba i Giner who told reporters on Tuesday that those responsible need to be held accountable.

"In our particular case, we were spied on, and by extension, the whole European Parliament was spied on," she said.

Riba said all their communications with other European lawmakers had also been tapped. "This is something which must not go unpunished, either legally or politically," she said.

But whether anyone will be held accountable has yet to be determined.

The European Parliament has since launched a special inquiry committee composed to probe the abuse. They want to look at existing national laws regulating surveillance.

Hamstrung by not having any real powers, they hope to generate enough public outrage to elevate it to a European-level discussion.

"Here we are not talking about some attack of dictators, or autocrats in third countries," said German Green MEP, Hannah Neumann."These cases clearly show that even European democracies are not immune to abuse," she said.

The committee wants to grill national governments and the head of the NSO. They are also demanding a ban on the use of Pegasus and other surveillance by spyware against politicians, journalists, and lawyers.

Those demands can lead to recommendations, non-binding resolutions, and other policy ideas on surveillance spyware.