EU split over anti-terror phone data logging rules

[maddezmom]

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is split over how to introduce a law requiring phone and Internet usage records to be stored to help fight terrorism in the wake of the London bombings, an EU official said on Monday.


The executive European Commission is drafting a proposal to harmonize the rules for storing telephone, mobile and e-mail records across the 25-nation bloc, but EU president Britain is promoting a separate initiative on the same issue.

The Commission's proposal could take up to three years because it would require the assent of the European Parliament, which is particularly sensitive to civil rights concerns and more open to lobbying by telecommunications companies.

A quick deal among member governments would be open to less public scrutiny and compliance would only be policed nationally.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050711/wr_nm/security_eu_telecoms_dc_1