You are here: Home / Archives for European Commission

EU’s Data-Protection Reform Should Inspire U.S., Reding Says – Businessweek

December 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

European Union reforms of 16-year-old data-protection rules should inspire the U.S. to strengthen its privacy regime, the EU’s justice chief said.

The EU data privacy reforms, which the European Commission plans to present by the end of next month, should be “an inspiration for changes in the U.S. and elsewhere,” EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said today. Referring to cloud companies that lure clients by promising to protect their data from the U.S. government, she urged for the free flow of information.

“I do encourage cloud computing centers in Europe. We need more innovation, more research and more investment in the ICT industry,” Reding said in prepared remarks for a speech in Brussels. “But this cannot be the only solution. We need free flow of data between our continents. It doesn’t make much sense for us to retreat from each other.”

Deutsche Telekom AG’s T-Systems information technology unit is pushing regulators to introduce a certificate for German or European cloud operators to help companies shield data from U.S. government access through the Patriot Act. Some of the surveillance powers of the act, passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, have been opposed by lawmakers and outside groups, including civil liberties activists.

via EU’s Data-Protection Reform Should Inspire U.S., Reding Says – Businessweek.

Filed Under: From The News Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Don’t wait to obey European data laws • The Register

November 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has welcomed the European Commission’s move to strengthen privacy and data protection.

The reform process is in its early stages, but the EDPS said the timing was good because Europe needed strong and effective protection to match changing technology.

Peter Hustinx, the EDPS, said he supported the broad framework of the new laws.

These include harmonising different national approaches, including privacy by design and accountability, mandatory breach notification and including police and justice in data protection law.

The EDPS said it would keep any eye on proposals and give a more detailed response in the next few weeks.

via Don’t wait to obey European data laws • The Register.

Filed Under: From The News Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Europe Sets Five-Year Internet Strategy – BusinessWeek

May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
European flag outside the Commission
Image via Wikipedia

Half of Europeans subscribing to ultra-high-speed broadband by 2020, bringing an end to the phenomenon of ‘digital virgins’ and the creation of a European cyber-attack rapid response system – these are just some of the ambitious goals contained in the EU’s five-year plan for the online world, unveiled on Wednesday (19 May).

Anxious that the US, Japan and South Korea – still in parts classified as a developing country – are stealing a march on the old continent, where almost a third of people have still never accessed the worldwide web, the European Commission says it is time for a digital revolution.

While today, just one percent of Europeans are signed up to fast fibre-based internet, 12 percent of Japanese have such connections and 15 percent of South Koreans.

“Can you imagine that there are still some 30 percent of Europeans who have never used the internet? Digital virgins, so to say,” Dutch commissioner Neelie Kroes said in announcing the wide-ranging plans. “We want to ensure they all have the opportunity to discover the wonders of the digital world.”

By 2013, Brussels wants all Europeans to have basic broadband and by 2020, for everyone to have access high-speed broadband above 30Mbps, with 50 percent of Europeans able to subscribe to ultra-high-speed rates of above 100Mbps.

via Europe Sets Five-Year Internet Strategy – BusinessWeek.

Related articles by Zemanta
Filed Under: Tech Bytes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

European Commission may create new cybercrime unit – Computerworld

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
European flag outside the Commission
Image via Wikipedia

European ministers are considering establishing a new agency that would tie together law enforcement agencies and other entities dedicated to fighting cybercrime.

The Council of the European Union, composed of ministers from 27 countries, issued a document earlier this week calling for the European Commission to draw up a feasibility study on the idea.

The ministers released a set of goals they’d like to achieve over time. One of those is to gain more ratifications of the Council of Europe&’s Cybercrime Convention, the only international treaty covering computer crime.

The treaty requires countries to adopt cybercrime laws, have contacts available 24 hours a day for fast-breaking investigations and other measures.

Another medium-term goal focuses on revocation of domain names and IP (Internet protocol) addresses. The document doesn’t spell out exactly the ministers’ objectives there, as it is already standard procedure for many ISPs to shut down Web sites linked with bad behavior.

The new agency would also be tasked with forging stronger bonds between various law enforcement and other organizations that deal with cybercrime, including Europol, Eurojust, Interpol and others.

via European Commission may create new cybercrime unit – Computerworld.

Related articles by Zemanta
Filed Under: From The News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,