european commission
Filter by...
-
EU-Japan trade agreement not compatible with EU data protection
The EU and Japan have announced the conclusion of the final discussions on a trade agreement, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Regarding cross-border data flows and data protection, the European Commission’s press release states that recent reforms of their respective privacy legislation offer new opportunities to facilitate data exchanges, including through a simultaneous finding […]
Read more
-
Copyright reform: State of play
In 2016, the European Commission (EC) launched its proposal for a new Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. This reform was supposed to update the previous Directive, to adapt it to the digital world. Since the previous Directive was adopted in 2001 (after a four-year legislative process), technology and the online ecosystem have […]
Read more
-
EU Parliament criticises incompetent Commission work on child abuse
The European Commission proposed its badly drafted “Directive on combating sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography” in 2010. In 2011, it was finally adopted by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.
Read more
-
MEPs demand balanced approach to dealing with illegal online content
On 5 December 2017, a group of 31 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sent a letter to the European Commission demanding action on illegal content online. The letter was initiated by Dutch Liberal MEP Marietje Schaake, and its signatories are from across the political spectrum.
Read more
-
The UK discusses data retention again
Rather bizarrely, the UK appears to be taking a more diligent approach to the application of EU law on data retention than the European Commission. While the Commission sits on its hands as individual Member States adopt increasingly outlandish and illegal data retention proposals – such as a new Italian law that imposes data retention […]
Read more
-
The European Commission struggles to find a position on encryption
On 18 October, the European Commission adopted some form of position on encryption, inexplicably embedded in its “anti-terrorism package”. Home affairs activity in relation to encryption is horizontal (covering all illegal activity) and not specifically related to terrorism. However, the Commission chose to include this topic in its anti-terrorism package. The decision to publish the […]
Read more
-
EDRi writes to EU Commissioner Gabriel about tackling illegal content online
On 28 September 2017, the European Commission published a Communication on “Tackling Illegal Content Online: Towards an enhanced responsibility of online platforms”. In order to be constructive and support the European Commission in developing a balanced, rights-friendly and harmonised approach to deal with illegal content online in the future, EDRi has written a letter to […]
Read more
-
EU’s plans on encryption: What is needed?
On 18 October 2017, the European Commission is expected to publish a Communication on counter-terrorism, which will include some lines on encryption. What is encryption? Why is it important? When we send an encrypted message (or store an encrypted document), no one else but the intended recipient can read it using a unique key. So […]
Read more
-
Dear MEPs: We need you to protect our privacy online!
They’re hip, they’re slick and they follow you everywhere. They know you like new shoes, playing tennis and tweeting at odd hours of the morning. Do you know what that says about your health, your relationships and your spending power? No? Well, the online companies do. They follow you everywhere you go online, they have […]
Read more
-
TiSA impact assessment report ignores crucial human rights concerns
In 2013, the European Commission decided to subject the draft Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) to a Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) in support of the negotiations. The Final Report, which was published in July 2017, fails to address several key fundamental rights concerns.
Read more
-
Commission’s position on tackling illegal content online is contradictory and dangerous for free speech
Today, on 28 September, the European Commission published its long-awaited Communication “Tackling Illegal Content Online”. This follows a leaked copy we previously analysed. The document puts virtually all its focus on internet companies monitoring online communications, in order to remove content that they decide might be illegal. It presents few safeguards for free speech, and […]
Read more
-
Leaked document: Does the EU Commission really plan to tackle illegal content online?
On 14 September, Politico published a leaked draft of the European Commission’s Communication “Tackling Illegal Content Online”. The Communication contains “guidelines” to tackle illegal content, while remaining coy in key areas. It is expected to be officially published on 28 September.
Read more