Press Release: Commission proposes rules on communication data retention which are both effective for law enforcement and respectful of rights and business interests

The European Commission on 21 September 2005 adopted a proposal for a Directive on the retention of communications traffic data. The proposal suggested an EU-wide harmonisation of the obligations on providers of publicly available electronic communications, or a public telecommunications network, to retain data related to mobile and fixed telephony for a period of one year, and internet communication data, for six months. The proposed Directive would not be applicable to the actual content of the communications. It also included a provision ensuring that the service or network providers would be reimbursed for the demonstrated additional costs they would have. For its adoption, the proposal required the approval both of the European Parliament and the Council. The Council was currently discussing an alternative text, a Framework Decision which would allow for data retention of up to 3 years and could be adopted by the Council alone.

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