Press release: “Secretary Michael Chertoff made the following statement: “I am pleased to have signed an important agreement with the European Union today that will allow the Department of Homeland Security to continue using Passenger Name Record (PNR) data as an essential screening tool for detecting potentially dangerous transatlantic travelers.” 2007 PNR Agreement – U.S.… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: EU Data Protection
European Commission Opens Inquiry into Google/DoubleClick Merger
Follow up to the Google DoubleClick Merger In the News, from EPIC: The European Commission Directorate on Competition will review Google’s $3.1 billion merger with internet advertising company DoubleClick. The news comes a few days after European consumer group BEUC sent a letter (pdf) urging Commission to investigate the merger. The Article 29 Data Protection… Continue Reading
Google Agrees to Cut Data Retention Time in Response to EU Privacy Laws
EPIC reports: “Google will cut the period that it retains user data from a maximum of 24 months to a maximum of 18 months, the company said in a letter (pdf) to the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party. Last month, the Working Party began to investigate (pdf) Google’s privacy practices and asked whether the… Continue Reading
EU/US Passenger Name Record (PNR) Agreement
European Union Committee, Home Affairs (Sub-Committee F), The EU/US Passenger Name Record (PNR) Agreement, HL Paper 108 is published today Tuesday 5th June, 2007 (139 pages, PDF). [see also HTML version (browsable)] Press release: The House of Lords EU Committee raises concerns over passenger name record agreement with the US Continue Reading
EU Report on Digital Preservation, Orphan Works and Out-of-Print Works
“The Report on Digital Preservation, Orphan Works and Out-of-Print Works, Selected Implementation Issues is an advisory report on copyright issues to the European Commission, presented on 19 April by the EU’s High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries – which includes, inter alia, stakeholders from the British Library, the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, the Federation of European… Continue Reading
Google Announces Change in Privacy Policy on Storage of Server Logs
Taking steps to further improve our privacy practices: Posted by Peter Fleischer, Privacy Counsel-Europe, and Nicole Wong, Deputy General Counsel: “When you search on Google, we collect information about your search, such as the query itself, IP addresses and cookie details. Previously, we kept this data for as long as it was useful. Today we’re… Continue Reading
EU eGovernment Action Plan Roadmaps
“The European Commission in co-operation with the Member States has finalised the roadmaps for the action plans on Pan-European Electronic Identity Management, Electronic Procurement and Inclusive eGovernment. In view of the continuous and fast evolution in these areas, we shall conduct an annual revision of these roadmaps. Electronic Identity Management roadmap table and paper Electronic… Continue Reading
New EU Communication on Spam
Press release: “The Commission today called on all regulatory authorities and stakeholders in Europe to step up the fight against spam, spyware and malicious software. Despite existing EU legislation to outlaw spam in Europe, Europe continues to suffer from illegal online activities from inside the EU and from third countries, the Commission underlines in a… Continue Reading
Processing of Personal Data By SWIFTand EU Data Protection Opinion
Follow-up to previous postings on the SWIFT online financial cooperative network, this November 23, 2006 corporate press release: “SWIFT strongly objects to WP 29’s opinion [Opinion 10/2006 on the processing of personal data by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), 11/26/2006 WP 128] about the communication of personal data to the US Treasury… Continue Reading
New UK Law Allows Use of Low Power FM Transmitters for MP3 Players
Press release, November 23 2006: Ofcom [the regulator for the UK communications industries] today announced that the use of certain low power FM transmitters, which wirelessly connect MP3 players and other personal audio devices to radios and in-car entertainment systems, will be legal for use in the UK from 8 December 2006…in response to consumer… Continue Reading
EU: Directive on Prevention of Use of Financial System for the Purpose of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
Directive on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist financing (22 pages, PDF) Press release (PDF): “This measure is intended to combat money-laundering and terrorist financing. It covers many forms of financial transactions including those over 15,000 euros which raise suspicions of financial institutions and… Continue Reading
Belgium Privacy Commission Reviews SWIFT Violation of Data Protection Law
Opinion No. 37 / 2006 of 27 September 2006, O. Ref.: SA2 / A / 2006 / 037- CONCERNING: Opinion on the transfer of personal data by the CSLR SWIFT by virtue of UST (OFAC) subpoenas.”During its session of 5th July 2006, the Commission had already made the decision to officially start an investigation into… Continue Reading
