UK Pushes Data Retention Proposals In Light Of Terrorist Attacks

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

14 July 2005

The UK government is using its position as the holder of the EU presidency to push controversial data retention proposals initially rejected by the European Parliament, according to reports.

Under the proposed measures, first put forward in 2004 by the UK, France, Ireland and Sweden, data from telephone and mobile phone calls, text messages and e-mails (including the date, time, location of the phone call, and numbers dialled, but not the content of the conversation) would be stored by ISPs and telecoms firms for a minimum of one year and a maximum of three.

However, the proposal (in that format) was rejected by the European Parliament on the grounds that it would be too expensive and technically difficult for the service providers to implement.

The UK's Interior Minister, Charles Clarke is reported to have urged EU ministers attending an emergency meeting on Wednesday to adopt the proposed measures. However, the European Commission is also understood to be drafting separate data retention proposals, creating uncertainty over which set of guidelines will be adopted.

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