From: nobody@REPLAY.COM (Anonymous)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
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UTC Datetime: 1997-08-05 11:38:49 UTC
Raw Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 19:38:49 +0800
From: nobody@REPLAY.COM (Anonymous)
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 19:38:49 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: EC Crypto Policy
Message-ID: <199708051039.MAA29310@basement.replay.com>
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EC Ministers Draw Up European Online Policy
August 5, 1997
Newsbytes : by Steve Gold.
Following on from a conference held in Germany last
month, representatives from 39 European countries have
signed a declaration calling for the free flow of information.
The event, held between July 6-8 in Bonn, was called "Global
Information Networks: Realizing the Potential," and was
attended by 39 European ministers, as well as European
Commission (EC) representatives from Japan, Russia, the US
and Canada.
At the event, ministers focused on two main issues:
encryption, and the censorship of illegal material such as child
pornography on the Internet.
The declaration notes that there are a number of important
differences between US and Europe on encryption and
information privacy.
According to MacRoberts, the Edinburgh, Scotland-based
information technology (IT) law firm, the declaration may not
go down too well in US circles, since it is conceivable that
the EC may block US-based businesses from conducting
electronic commerce on the Internet.
According to officials with MacRoberts, this could result in
European becoming isolated, rather than the EC teaching the
US a lesson.
According to MacRoberts, the Bonn declaration calls for the
free flow of information, whilst protecting the privacy of
data, and a clear division of legal responsibility between the
creators of Internet content and access providers, network
operators and other intermediaries.
In addition, the declaration calls for the recognition of the
necessity of strong encryption technology, to facilitate
electronic commerce subject to "applicable law," and the
introduction of consumer protection through self- regulation.
According to Joanna Noag-Thomson, an associate in
MacRobert's Intellectual Property and Technology Law
Group, the declaration deals with many of the issues in
President Clinton's "Framework for Global Electronic
Commerce" and, while the US and Europe appear to agree on
many fundamental issues, important policy differences
continue to exist, particularly in the areas of information
privacy and encryption.
"The European stance on encryption is to be commended --
the European Ministers' view is more commercially
acceptable in that it recognizes that electronic commerce
requires strong encryption technology," she said.
"At the same time, it recognizes that measures to restrict
encryption should be proportionate At present, the US and
Europe appear to have different views on what constitutes
`proportionate' restrictions," she added.
According to Boag-Thomson, the EC has warned that, unless
the US provides adequate protection of personal information,
it may block any US-based entity from conducting electronic
commerce on the Internet.
"The EU Data Protection Directive forbids data flow to
countries outside the EU which do not offer adequate
protection of personal information. Although data protection
is extremely important, I hope that we in Europe will not find
ourselves isolated from the rest of the world and that a
solution to this problem can be found," she said.
(19970804/Press Contact: Joanna Boag-Thomson
+44-141-332-9988; Fax +44-141-332- 8886; E-mail:
joannab@macroberts.co.uk
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1997-08-05 (Tue, 5 Aug 1997 19:38:49 +0800) - EC Crypto Policy - nobody@REPLAY.COM (Anonymous)