Majority of EU governments introducing data retention of communications
national |
miscellaneous |
news report 
Tuesday March 04, 2003 14:36
by retent this!
more at the web link below
On 12 July 2002 the EU agreed fundamental changes of the 1997 EC Directive on privacy and telecommunications preventing the erasure of data and allowing member states to introduce new laws requiring communications providers to keep traffic data and make it accessible to the law enforcement agencies).
A draft, binding, EU Framework Decision prepared by the Belgian government (and backed by the UK) has temporarily been put on the shelf due to widespread criticism. But a secret document shows that at the national level nine out of 15 member states have, or are planning to, introduce mandatory data retention (only two member states appear to be resisting this move). In due course it can be expected that a "harmonising" EU measure will follow.
Terrorism pretext for mandatory data retention
Mandatory data retention had been demanded by EU law enforcement agencies and discussed in the EU working parties and international fora for several years prior to 11 September 2000. On 20 September 2001 the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council put it to the top of the agenda as one of the measures to combat terrorism. But now, over 16 months later, it is nowhere near being in operation in most EU states.
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Ireland heads the table with data retention for 3 years
Directions were issued by the Minister for Public Eneterprise in April 2002, under the Postal and
Telecommunications Services Act 1983, to require operators "to retain existing traffic data and future traffic data for not less than 3 years". Primary legislation is being prepared to require operators to retain data.
On the proposal that there should be an EU instrument on data retention: an amendment should be made at EU level "to ensure that law enforcement agencies access to call related data is in accordance with national legislation".