The Home Office has signed up to an EU strategy against cybercrime that 'encourages' police across Europe to remotely access personal computers, according to the BBC.
The article says the plan has sparked fears that the government is looking to increase police powers to hack into people's computers without a court warrant. However, the Home Office said the EU agreement would not affect police behaviour and was not legally binding.
Apparently British police already undertake a 'small number' of such operations under existing law.
The plan, drawn up by the Council of the European Union, makes broad statements on how to improve European cyber crime-fighting, including inviting countries to introduce remote searches if they are already provided for under national law.
British law allows police to access computers remotely under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
The Council stated, 'the new strategy encourages [the police and the private sector] to"&brkbar;resort to remote searches.'