{"id":14303,"date":"2026-02-02T20:42:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T19:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/assignments\/review-of-the-intelligence-services-and-cuta\/le-controle-des-services-de-renseignement\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:12:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T09:12:58","slug":"review-of-the-intelligence-services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/assignments\/review-of-the-intelligence-services-and-cuta\/review-of-the-intelligence-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of the intelligence services"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763803345173{margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #276475 !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;TITULO&#8221; el_class=&#8221;TITULOSUPERIORPAGINA&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">ASSIGNMENTS<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<style>.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346 .post-breadcrumbs {justify-content: left; text-align: left;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346 .post-breadcrumbs ul {justify-content: left; text-align: left;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346 .post-breadcrumbs ul li {color: #FFFFFF;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346 .post-breadcrumbs ul li a {color: #FFFFFF;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346 .post-breadcrumbs ul li a:hover {color: #FFFFFF;}.thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs.thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346 .post-breadcrumbs ul li:last-child {color: #FFFFFF;}<\/style><div class=\"thegem-te-post-breadcrumbs thegem-custom-6a2727c4b15145346\"> <div class=\"post-breadcrumbs\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><\/ul><!-- .breadcrumbs --><\/div> <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1770720384115{margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #3E8E8C !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;SUBTITULO&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">REVIEW OF THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES AND CUTA<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;top&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1770059973402{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 40px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_btn title=&#8221;SUMMARY&#8221; style=&#8221;outline-custom&#8221; outline_custom_color=&#8221;#3E8E8C&#8221; outline_custom_hover_background=&#8221;#3E8E8C&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;BOTONVERDENOACTIVO&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fcomiteri.mediartia.com%2Fen%2Fassignments%2Freview-of-the-intelligence-services-and-cuta%2F|&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;REVIEW OF THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES&#8221; color=&#8221;turquoise&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;BOTONTURQUESAACTIVO&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fcomiteri.mediartia.com%2Fen%2Fassignments%2Freview-of-the-intelligence-services-and-cuta%2Freview-of-the-intelligence-services%2F|&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;REVIEW OF CUTA AND THE SUPPORTING SERVICES&#8221; style=&#8221;outline-custom&#8221; outline_custom_color=&#8221;#3E8E8C&#8221; outline_custom_hover_background=&#8221;#3E8E8C&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;BOTONVERDENOACTIVO&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fcomiteri.mediartia.com%2Fen%2Fassignments%2Freview-of-the-intelligence-services-and-cuta%2Freview-of-cuta-and-its-supporting-services%2F|&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The Committee&#8217;s oversight of the intelligence services takes various forms.<\/p>\n<h6><strong>Review investigations <\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>The Committee carries out review investigations which it initiates <strong>on its own initiative or at the request<\/strong> of the Chamber of Representatives, the competent minister, the director of CUTA or another data protection authority. It may also open an investigation on the basis of a complaint or denunciation by a citizen or civil servant.<\/p>\n<p>Review investigations cover the activities and methods of the intelligence services, their internal regulations and guidelines, as well as all documents governing the conduct of their staff members.<\/p>\n<p>To carry out these investigations, the <strong>Committee may request any documents and interview anyone<\/strong> it deems necessary. For example, it can summon (former) members of the investigated services, who are then required to testify under oath. The Committee may also arrange for any necessary records to be taken and for any useful objects or documents to be seized. It may also request the collaboration of experts and interpreters, as well as police assistance.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/publications\/investigation-reports\/\"><em>View the latest investigation reports<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h6><strong>Control of the intelligence methods <\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>The Committee also reviews the activities of the intelligence services by controlling the intelligence methods used. These services can use <strong>three categories of methods<\/strong> to collect data: ordinary, specific and exceptional methods. The legislator introduced this distinction in 2010 (SIM law) and supplemented it in 2017 to categorise methods <strong>according to their level of privacy intrusion<\/strong>, based on the principle that the more intrusive the method, the more its use must be subject to strict procedures and control.[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"clearboth\"><\/div><style>#thegem-divider-6a2727c4b19f2 {margin-top: 30px !important;}<\/style><div id=\"thegem-divider-6a2727c4b19f2\" class=\"gem-divider  \" style=\"\" ><\/div>[vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1773662432621{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 30px !important;background-color: #F6F6F6 !important;border-radius: 25px !important;}&#8221;]<span style=\"color: #3e8e8c;\"><strong>Ordinary methods<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The category of ordinary methods covers the methods of information collection for which the legislator originally did not impose any specific external control, as the invasion of privacy was deemed to be less serious. All the methods in this category therefore fell solely within the scope of the Committee R\/I&#8217;s standard control.<\/p>\n<p><em>Observing and searching not using technical means in a place accessible to the public (e.g. following someone in the street without using a camera) as well as the use of human sources (informants) fall into this category.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Since <strong>2016<\/strong>, new ordinary methods, known as <strong>ordinary &#8216;plus&#8217; methods<\/strong>, have been introduced for which the Committee is entrusted with a specific control mission and\/or for which the intelligence service in question has an additional obligation to provide information to the Committee. The obligation to control or inform is regulated differently for each of these methods.<\/p>\n<p><em>This category includes the following in particular: <\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Using police camera images <\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Identifying the subscriber of a telecommunication service or medium (e.g. a mobile phone number or an IP address) without using any technical means but by means of a request to a telecommunication operator\/provider.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"clearboth\"><\/div><style>#thegem-divider-6a2727c4b1a3e {margin-top: 30px !important;}<\/style><div id=\"thegem-divider-6a2727c4b1a3e\" class=\"gem-divider  \" style=\"\" ><\/div>[vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1773662602733{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 30px !important;background-color: #F6F6F6 !important;border-radius: 25px !important;}&#8221;]<span style=\"color: #3e8e8c;\"><strong>Specific and exceptional methods <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Specific and exceptional data collection methods are subject to<strong> dual external control<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>SIM Commission<\/strong> (Administrative Commission responsible for monitoring the specific and exceptional methods of data collection by the intelligence and security services), exercises <strong><em>a priori<\/em> control <\/strong>of the legality and respect for the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity of each method. It must be informed of any decision to implement a specific method and it must give its explicit approval before a service can use an exceptional method.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Committee R\/I<\/strong> is responsible for <strong><em>a posteriori<\/em> controls<\/strong> of these methods. It verifies the legality of decisions relating to specific and exceptional methods, as well as compliance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity.<\/p>\n<p><em>En 2024, 674 m\u00e9thodes sp\u00e9cifiques et exceptionnelles effectu\u00e9es par le SGRS et 2263 par la VSSE ont fait l\u2019objet de ce contr\u00f4le.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Committee acts as a <strong>judicial body<\/strong>. Its agreement is not necessary to implement a specific or exceptional method, but, if the Committee finds that a method is unlawful, or that the principle of proportionality or subsidiarity has not been respected, it will terminate the method if it is still being implemented. It will also prohibit the use of the information gathered using the above-mentioned method, and order that it be destroyed.<\/p>\n<p><em>Specific methods include:<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Infiltrating the virtual world under a fictitious identity or quality<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Observing and searching of places accessible to the public using technical means (e.g. taking photos or videos on the street during a stalking operation).<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Exceptional methods include: <\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Hacking into an IT system <\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Tapping, intercepting and recording private communications.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"clearboth\"><\/div><style>#thegem-divider-6a2727c4b1a6d {margin-top: 30px !important;}<\/style><div id=\"thegem-divider-6a2727c4b1a6d\" class=\"gem-divider  \" style=\"\" ><\/div>[vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h6><strong>Monitoring of interceptions, image recordings and IT intrusions abroad <\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>The military intelligence service can search for, record, listen to, become aware of and record all forms of communication transmitted and received abroad. This includes hacking into IT systems and recording static or moving images abroad.<\/p>\n<p>The Committee monitors these methods prior, during and after their implementation.<\/p>\n<h6><strong>Drafting of legal advice<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>The Committee responds to requests for advice from the Chamber of Representatives or a competent minister on any bill, royal decree, circular letter or other document expressing the political orientations of a competent minister concerning the operations of the intelligence services.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/publications\/legal-advice\/\"><em><u>View the latest legal advice<\/u><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h6><strong>Complaints handling<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>The Committee handles complaints relating to the intelligence services.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/complaints\/\"><em>Find out more<\/em><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221;][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;132px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763803345173{margin-bottom: 0px !important;background-color: #276475 !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;TITULO&#8221; el_class=&#8221;TITULOSUPERIORPAGINA&#8221;] ASSIGNMENTS&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2541,"parent":14300,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14303","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14303"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14303\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14929,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14303\/revisions\/14929"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/comiteri.mediartia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}