End of 5 year struggle against data retention

After 5 years of fighting against plans for mandatary data retention, EDRI is deeply disappointed that a majority in the European Parliament has adopted a law decreeing very broad and long retention of telephony and internet traffic data, with access granted for all sorts of undefined crimes. Please visit the special [Campaign WIKI | http://wiki.dataretentionisnosolution.com] for all details and relevant documents.

On Tuesday 6 December, Privacy International and EDRI, supported by a growing list of organisations, companies and data protection authorities, distributed a new (paper) letter to all 732 members of the European Parliament, urging them to use their individual conscience and reject the draconic ‘compromise’ proposed by the German group leaders of the social-democrats and the christian-democrats. On Wednesday 7 December, EDRI (Sjoera Nas) was one of the 3 keynote speakers in a public hearing on this issue in the European Parliament, organised by the Greens/EFA.

But on 14 December, the social democrats and christian democrats in the European Parliament adopted the compromise, with disappointingly few dissidents. Rapporteur Alexander Alvaro (Liberals) was so disappointed by the procedure and the outcome that he asked to have his name removed from the report.

Within 18 months, all member states of the EU will have to introduce mandatory data retention for telephony and internet data, for 6 to 24 months. EDRI is deeply concerned that this law will not create any security. In stead it will erode the fundaments of our free and open society.

An impressive list of organisations and companies have signed the open letter, at: [http://www.privacyinternational.org/retentionlaunderingcampaign]