Bodies exercising scrutiny

Parliamentary Oversight Panel

The  Parliamentary Oversight Panel (PKGr) is responsible for scrutiny of the work of the intelligence services at Federal level. The Panel can demand the submission of detailed information by the Federal Government on the federal intelligence services’ general activities and on operations of particular importance.

G 10 Commission

The G 10 Commission takes decisions on the necessity and admissibility of restrictions on the privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications pursuant to Article 10 of the Basic Law (protection of the free democratic basic order or the existence or security of the Federation or of a Land).

ZFdG Panel (panel set up under the Customs Investigation Service Act)

The Central Office of the German Customs Investigation Service investigates crimes under the Foreign Trade and Payments Act and the War Weapons Control Act. To this end, it has the power to restrict the privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications. These actions, which encroach on basic rights pursuant to Article 10 of the Basic Law, are scrutinised by the ZFdG Panel in line with Section 23 c (8) of the Customs Investigation Service Act. (The Panel was previously known as the "Panel under Section 41 of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act".)

Committee for the Scrutiny of Acoustic Surveillance of the Private Home

Acoustic surveillance of the private home was made possible in cases of particularly serious crimes through an amendment of the Basic Law. This severe encroachment on basic rights is scrutinised by Parliament pursuant to Article 13 (6) of the Basic Law.