EU set for new anti-terror crackdown

The EU is set to unveil new anti-terror measures and fast track controversial surveillance legislation on Wednesday.

UK interior minister Charles Clarke has called an emergency meeting of Europe’s justice ministers in the aftermath of bomb attacks on London.

Top of the agenda for the UK, current holders of the EU presidency, will be stalled proposals for data retention.

Legal and political uncertainty has surrounded the demands from national governments to store electronic communication data.

The UK government has itself failed to impose data retention laws in Britain, opting for a voluntary arrangement after strong industry and civil liberties opposition.

London is set to push hard for new proposals drafted by the European Commission.

“Telecommunications records, whether of telephones or of emails, which record what calls were made from what number to another number at what time are of very important use for intelligence,” said Clarke.

"I am not talking about the content of any call but the fact that a call was made. And we believe it is important to get a retention of data of what calls were made from some considerable time.”

France, the UK, Ireland, Spain and Sweden are pushing for EU legislation forcing telecom operators and internet service providers to store data for between six months to one year.

The move came in the wake of 2004 bombings in Madrid and has regained momentum following last week’s similar attacks on the UK.

Information, including mobile phone numbers, text messages, email addresses and voice over broadband, will be stored for up to three years and made available for access by EU law enforcement agencies.

But lawyers in the commission – and the European Parliament – have argued against early proposals, citing the current absence of a legal basis in EU law.

EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini will balance security demands with concerns from MEPs, privacy campaigners, the telecoms and internet industry.

“We should guarantee the full traceability of the movements of terrorists through the stage of phone calls, including unsuccessful phone calls, but of course for the appropriate period of time,” he said.

“I think, for example, a period of six months for internet data and about 12 months for phone calls.

“I mean a European standard, because in some member states there are no data retention rules and no data retention possibility at all, and that is a great advantage for terrorists.”

But if governments fail to meet concerns, or freeze MEPs out of the decision-making process, the EU could face a challenge in the European courts.

Frattini and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will also unveil totally new proposals.

Brussels will urge the creation of a real time information network to be used by EU police and intelligence services in the wake of bomb attacks on London.

“But we cannot have a policeman in every metropolitan train or every bus it is impossible,” said Barroso on Monday. “We must admit that terrorism today is part of the risk of life.”

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