International Intelligence Review Agencies Conference - London (U.K.) July 2014

The CSE Commissioner, the Honourable Jean-Pierre Plouffe, attended the ninth International Intelligence Review Agencies Conference, held July 7–9, 2014, in London (U.K.). The theme of the conference was the challenges of security and intelligence review and oversight: balancing the individual's right to privacy and ensuring our collective right to security.

The conference was hosted by the U.K. Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, the Intelligence Services Commissioner and the Interception of Communications Commissioner. It involved participation by senior office holders and legislators from 15 countries working in the field of review and oversight of security and intelligence agencies.

The conference provided an expert forum to:

• identify current international challenges;
• consider emerging concerns that impact domestically and internationally;
• exchange ideas and compare models of accountability, including lessons learned and good practices;
• support countries in the development of intelligence review and oversight mechanisms, drawing on the experience of countries with existing structures;
• establish contacts with whom we communicate in between these conferences, which further benefit the review program; and
• broaden dialogue and expand the expert network towards further international collaboration.