Germany’s top court overturns EU data law

Germany's Constitutional Court ruled on the 2 March 2010 that a central plank of antiterrorist security legislation in the European Union, requiring the storage of at least six months’ worth of telephone and internet data, was contrary to the country’s fundamental law.

The decision was greeted with shock and alarm by police and security experts, and with delight by civil liberties campaigners.

ESO: Background information: MEPs say 'no' to SWIFT http://www.europeansources.info/record/meps-say-no-to-swift/

ESO: Background information: Towards a European PNR system? Questions on the added value and the protection of fundamental rights http://www.europeansources.info/record/towards-a-european-pnr-system-questions-on-the-added-value-and-the-protection-of-fundamental-rights/

Deutsche Welle, 2.3.10: Opinion: The state wants to fight terrorism with too much control http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5311519,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 2.3.10: German High Court Limits Phone and E-Mail Data Storage http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,681251,00.html

Germany: Federal Constitutional Court: http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/index.html

BBC News, 2.3.10: German court orders stored telecoms data deletion http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8545772.stm

Deutsche Welle, 26.7.11: More online surveillance needed, officials in Europe say http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15267792,00.html

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