EU parliament rejects proposal to store phone, e-mail data

STRASBOURG: The European Parliament on Tuesday rejected a proposal by European Union governments to retain phone and e-mail data for up to three years for use in anti-terror investigations. Instead, the EU lawmakers will focus on a counterproposal by the EU’s executive office that envisages keeping data for a shorter time. The EU lawmakers argued that the plan, put forward last year by Britain, France, Sweden and Ireland, did not prove the need for such strict EU-widedata retention rules, and also expressed concerns about civil liberties breaches. The plan is now on hold. The four governments will wait to see if a rival, less stringent proposal tabled last week by the European Commission will get enough support among member states. The Parliament is likely to have fewer objections to the Commission proposal. The 732-member EU assembly was angry that it was not given the option of amending the bill, which the EU governments are trying to fast-track, arguing they need the new rules to root out terrorist groups in Europe in wake of the July bombings in London. While the member states’ proposal did not require the Parliament’s approval, the rejection is set to add pressure on EU governments to back the alternative Commission plan, which does give the assembly a binding say and offers more privacy safeguards. ap

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