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European Digital Rights (EDRi), a non-profit coalition of privacy/advocacy groups based in Brussels, launched a campaign against the transfer of European travellers’ Passenger Name Records (PNR) to U.S. Customs. See the following related documents: EDRi campaign press release. Full text of Article 29 Data Protection Working Party: Opinion 6/2002 on transmission of Passenger Manifest Information …
Contrary to the EU Data Protection Directive (pdf), a recent study determined that approximately 44% of European websites surveyed lack required privacy protection policies. The results indicated the greatest complaince was evidenced by UK sites and the worst by French sites.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the recently amended German Copyright Law (pdf – in German) now exempts universities from fees associated with providing students and scholars with copyrighted materials in a digital environment. For additional information, please see this April 10 posting from amiga-news.de, New Copyright as Good as Succeeded, which provides some …
The Information Law Weblog was launched March 28, is by librarian/researcher/author Paul Pedley, and focuses on copyright, data protection and freedom of information issues in the UK. Well worth a visit. (Thanks to DC for the link.)
EPIC continues to expand its challenge to the CAPPS II System by documenting objections to the progam that impact European airline passengers, in a statement (pdf) submitted to the EU Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs for a hearing held March 25. See also this announcement today: Spain proposes data on …
From StateWatch, this report (PDF) from the European Parliament’s Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms expressing strong concerns about the collection and use of EU passenger data by the INS and TSA. See also How US Customs bounced the European Commission into a quick decision.
EU Ministers agreed to establish a new criminal offense, “illegally accessing an information system,” which would include incarceration for “serious cases.” The text of this new policy is buried on page 19 of this 27 page document (PDF), under the heading “Attacks Against Information Systems.” See also this related article in today’s New York Times, …
The European Commission on Data Protection Working Party issued a new directive on January 29 addressing the protection of personal online data and the enforcement of IP rights. The Working Document, On-line Authentication Services, is here.
This recommendation to the Council of the European Union from 38 Members of Parliament from 7 political groups, conveys the groups opposition to the EU Data Directive which permits data mining, document retention and electronic surveillance programs involving citizens. The group states that these actions are “a violation of art. 8 of the European Court …
ZDNet UK is reporting that a coalition of prominent U.S. high tech companies, calling themselves the Global Privacy Alliance (no web site available) wants the EU to relax its data protection laws to stimulate international e-commerce through the transfer of personal data collected on customers.
StateWatch.org reports that the Commissioners’ stated: “Where traffic data are to be retained in specific cases, there must therefore be a demonstrable need, the period of retention must be as short as possible and the practice must be clearly regulated by law, in a way that provides sufficient safeguards against unlawful access and any other …
