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EUIPO publishes final report about ”Youth and Intellectual Property”
(Update on 6 June 2016: We corrected some quotes in this article which referred to a different but related report) On 6 April, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO, formerly known as OHIM) published its report on “Youth and IP”, which followed the 2013 study on “European Citizens and Intellectual Property: Perception, Awareness and […]
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The lobby-tomy 6: Not in my backyard
Something you’ll hear in policy debates on the environment: windmills are a great idea and obviously good for the environment, but we don’t want them in our backyard. This argument doesn’t just apply to the debate on the environment, but apparently also in the debate on privacy protection. Representatives from industry speak convincingly about what […]
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Please sue us
Each of the Member States of the European Union is required to incorporate European directives into national legislation. If a Member State does not obey this obligation, the European Commission can sue this country in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). But what actions can a country take if such directives force […]
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Dutch dragnet surveillance bill leaked
On 29 April, the final text for the Dutch dragnet surveillance bill was leaked. It turns out that Minister of the Dutch Interior Ronald Plasterk is still bent on granting the secret services the power to carry out bulk interception of innocent citizens’ communications.
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EDRi and 72 other NGOs send letter to EU regulators on net neutrality
Today, EDRi joined forces with 72 other civil society organisations from the five continents of the world to ask European Telecom Regulators to uphold net neutrality in the current negotiations about the future of the Open Internet in the European Union. The Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communication (BEREC) and the 28 telecom regulators are currently […]
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BREAKING: TTIP leaks confirm dangers for digital rights
Today, Greenpeace has unveiled documents on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), including the telecommunications chapter and EU’s Tactical State of Play of March 2016. The leaks show an ideological drive towards deregulation and law enforcement by private companies , said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of European Digital Rights (EDRi). This would sweep away […]
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Leaked EU Communication – Part 2: Protecting Google at all costs
While the European Commission talks tough about supporting European industry, much of what is in the leaked Communication on online platforms appears to be designed to protect Google and other online giants, to the detriment of competition and European innovation. “Fair payments” for copyright The Communication refers obtusely to the notion of “fair” distribution of […]
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Leaked EU Communication – Part 1: Privatised censorship and surveillance
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: Subject to the principle of proportionality, limitations [to fundamental rights] may be made only if they are necessary and genuinely meet objectives of general interest recognised by the Union or the need to protect the rights and freedoms of others. A draft European Commission Communication on Platforms has been leaked. […]
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#ReadAnneDiary (if you can)
The chaotic and outdated copyright framework in the European Union (EU) negatively impacts citizens by placing absurd restrictions on use of cultural goods. These restrictions benefit neither authors nor society in general. The European Commission (EC), in its quest to achieve a Digital Single Market, is aiming at reforming the situation and is trying to […]
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Member in the Spotlight: Access Now
Access Now defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk around the world. It combines innovative policy, user engagement, and direct technical support, and fight for open and secure communications for all.
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The lobby-tomy 5: legal help or political choices?
Is legal help always objective? Writing laws is a complicated process. A frequently used lobby strategy involves offering “legal help” and arguments that promise legal certainty. Parties claim to make no substantive choices for policy makers, but is that really the case? The new European data protection regulation is the most lobbied piece of legislation […]
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DFRI thrown out of conference on surveillance cameras
Every year about 200 representatives from the Swedish security industry meet to discuss security cameras. This year’s conference was particularly interesting. The Swedish government has appointed a commission to investigate possible changes in existing laws to make it easier to get permission to use surveillance cameras in public spaces, schools and workplaces. These cameras are […]
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