EU
countries are urged to follow lead of German chancellor, who wants internet
companies to reveal whom they share data with
guardian.co.uk,
Alan Travis, home affairs editor, Monday 15 July 2013
 |
| Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, who has called for stricter privacy rules. Photograph: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images |
The European commission has strongly backed a call from Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, for tougher data protection laws that would require internet companies to reveal details about to whom they make personal information available.
The EU's
justice commissioner, Viviane Reding, urged all EU member states to follow
Merkel's call for strict privacy rules to ensure that companies such as
Facebook and Google face a common disclosure regime, and not just the national
data protection rules in the country where they are registered.
"Such
common European rules are indeed the best way to ensure a solid protection of
the personal data of EU citizens, also with regard to companies from third
countries operating in the EU," said Reding.
"Europe
must stand united on this matter, which is at the heart of European values,
which concerns the fundamental rights of EU citizens and which is in addition
of great importance for the European single market."
Merkel
placed the issue firmly on the European agenda in a set-piece interview on
Sunday after facing criticism for failing to take action to protect German
citizens from the wholesale surveillance of internet and telecommunications
traffic conducted by US and UK intelligence services.
The
allegations of widespread internet snooping made by Edward Snowden, the US National Security Agency whistleblower, have led to a sharp debate during the
German election campaign, with the opposition SPD accusing Merkel of breaking
her oath of office in failing to protect German citizens.
She
particularly challenged other EU member states such as Britain and Ireland,
which have less rigorous data protection regimes than Germany, to back tougher
regulation.
"Internet
companies which are operating in Europe, such as Facebook and Google, must give
… European countries the information about whom they have given data to,"
said Merkel.
She said
that while Germany had a "very good data protection law", a company
such as Facebook, which was registered in Ireland, was subject only to Irish
law. The German chancellor said Britain also had "a very different
philosophy" about data protection, and very different laws about granting
intelligence services access to communications data.
Merkel
added: "I expect a clear promise from the American government, that in the
future they will observe German law on German territory. We are friendly
partners. We are in a defence alliance and we must be able to rely on each
other."
The
European justice commissioner called on all EU member states to follow Merkel's
lead on data protection reform. The draft directive was presented by the
commission in January 2012 and EU officials hope it can be finalised before the
European elections next year. It has formed one of the most controversial parts
of the US-EU trade negotiations.
"I
would find it helpful if the European council in October – which will deal with
the digital single market – could address this matter and speed up the work in
council on this important matter," said Reding.
The issue
of US-UK internet surveillance is also to be raised at an informal meeting of
European justice and home affairs ministers in Vilnius on Thursday and Friday
this week.
The UK
justice minister Lord McNally, who will be at the meeting on Friday, gave a
clear indication that Britain was likely to reject Merkel's call.
"The
government wants to see EU data protection legislation that protects the civil
liberties of individuals while allowing for economic growth and innovation.
These should be achieved in tandem, not at the expense of one or the
other," he said.
"We do
not believe the current European Union proposals strike the right balance. We
are negotiating for EU legislation that contains less prescription and cost
burdens while providing greater flexibility for member states to tailor
legislation according to national tradition and practice."
Britain has
so far played a key role in blocking European agreement on the new data
protection regime.
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