AMBER Alert Europe contributed to Europol’s 17th EDEN Conference on Data Protection and Cybersecurity in Law Enforcement, held in Lisbon on 22–23 September. Bringing together leading experts from law enforcement, data protection, technology and academia, the conference addressed some of the most pressing questions at the intersection of security and fundamental rights. As part of the programme, AMBER Alert Europe moderated the high-level panel “Data Access for Law Enforcement”, bringing the perspective of the protection of endangered missing children into the wider European debate on lawful access to data.
Under the theme “Do Not Cross: Protecting Citizens, Preserving Rights”, the 17th edition of the Europol Data Protection Experts Network (EDEN) Conference focused on how law enforcement can respond effectively to an increasingly digital and complex security environment while continuing to safeguard fundamental rights. The two-day programme brought together law enforcement officials, data protection experts, academics and representatives of European institutions to discuss issues including artificial intelligence and evidence, cybersecurity, EU data sovereignty, witness protection, the role of Data Protection Officers and last but not least, access to data for law enforcement.
Bringing the missing children perspective to the debate
AMBER Alert Europe was invited to moderate the panel “Data Access for Law Enforcement”, one of the key discussions on the second day of the conference. The session was moderated by Nana Leenaerts, Director for European Affairs at AMBER Alert Europe, and brought together Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Deputy Executive Director Operations at Europol; Dr Els de Busser, Associate Professor of Information Law at the University of Amsterdam; and Rui Gonçalves, Criminal Investigation Coordinator at Portuguese Judicial Police
The discussion explored how law enforcement can obtain the data it needs to protect citizens while ensuring that access remains lawful, proportional and necessary. AMBER Alert Europe brought the perspective that can sometimes remain outside traditional discussions on police investigations: a child can be in immediate danger even when no crime has yet been established. An endangered missing child may, for example, leave home following a suicide note. In such a situation, life is at risk; Not always are elements of crime present, yet every hour matters. In these critical situations, data access for law enforcement may decide if a child will be recovered alive.
Building on AMBER Alert Europe’s long-standing cooperation with law enforcement authorities across Europe, our contribution therefore highlighted the importance of looking at risk of life and the instrumental nature of data access for purposes of fulfilling their positive obligation to protect the fundamental right to life of an endangered missing child. At the same time, any interference in the fundamental right to privacy must remain necessary, proportionate and subject to appropriate safeguards. This requires thorough risk assessment from the very first hours of a disappearance, clear operational guidance for frontline officers and procedures that allow existing tools to be used effectively when a life is at risk.
Protecting citizens while preserving rights
Throughout the conference, a common challenge remained at the centre of the discussions: ensuring that law enforcement can respond effectively to evolving threats while maintaining the legal and fundamental rights safeguards that underpin European cooperation. EDEN provided a valuable setting for different professional perspectives to meet, exchange practical experience and examine where those boundaries lie in an increasingly complex operational environment.
By bringing the missing children perspective into a discussion alongside senior law enforcement officials, legal scholars and data protection experts, AMBER Alert Europe contributed to a broader understanding of what responsible access to data can mean in practice. The EDEN Conference provided an important platform for this exchange and for strengthening dialogue on how Europe can both protect citizens and preserve their rights.
For questions, please contact us at: info@amberalert.eu
