Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The European Commission sides with the Bulgarian government

Through Swedish media I find out that the European Court of Justice has ruled against Irelands protest against Directive 2006/24/EC which proclaims that national authorities should store digital data such as your phone number and email adress for two years.

The Directive was adopted by majority vote, regarded as a matter of free movement within the Union. The Irish government, backed by other members states like Slovakia and Sweden, claimed that the Directive is ratter a matter of legal jurisdiction and hence needs to be adopted by all member states according to valid treaties.

Svenska Dagbladet , a pro-EU newspaper, in it's headline says that Sweden now is forced to adopt the directive.

The news is absent from the English speaking media I read on a daily basis, but German Die Zeit covers the topic and reports that a German civil rights group has asked a court to try if the directive is adaptable in the German constitution. Die Zeit also offers an highly critical Op/Ed. fearing for the EU citizens civil rights.

The Bulgarian version of this directive is one of the hot issues in the movement, especially in the organisations preoccupied with electronical rights like Elektronna Granitsa. What they fear is that this directive will be used to curb legal and peaceful but radical protest movements.

On Bulgaria e Nasha Sweden was pointed out as a good example of resisting the directive some weeks ago.


No comments: