EP / PRIVACY IN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
EP CIVIL LIBERTIES COMMITTEE APPROVES CAPPATO REPORT

Brussels, 11 July 2001 – The EP Civil Liberties Committee approved today the report by Marco Cappato (Radical MEP of the Lista Bonino) on the draft EU Commission proposal for a directive on privacy in electronic communications, with 22 votes in favour, 12 against and 5 abstentions, under the co-decision procedure.

Declaration by Marco Cappato:

"The Civil liberties committee expressed itself in favour of a strict regulation of law enforcement authorities' access to personal data of citizens, such as communication traffic and location data. This decision is fundamental because in this way the EP blocks EU States' efforts underway in the Council to put their citizens under generalised and pervasive surveillance, following the Echelon model. The decision of leaving to Member States the choice between opt-in and opt-out systems on electronic commercial communications is a liberal approach that respects subsidiarity, and that takes into consideration freedom of expression (prohibiting "hidden" spamming) and the different experiences of the Member States".

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After 200 years, the European community has learned a deep respect for individual privacy and freedom that our own government seems bent on forgetting as it gravitates away from the model of an enlightened Democratic Republic and into a profit-seeking and deal-turning Corporate Management paradigm for its insights into Right Government.

Perhaps we could start a grass-rrots movement in sunny Portugal to adopt English as a separate but equasl language, and go pursue the higher goals of civilization over there for a few lifetimes, eh Brutus?

Just kidding; but here there is food for reflection, as the man said when he threw the ham sandwich at the full-length mirror....

Regards,

A