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Category: Article

ACER drafts framework guidelines to unify the EU electricity network

In July 2011 the the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) published, at the request of the European Commission, a draft of Framework Guidelines on System Operation pursuant to the EU conditions for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in electricity. The draft guidelines were issued for a public consultation that is

UK internet service provider ordered to block links to pirate site

Six major film studios, among them Warner Brothers, Disney and Fox, have successfully petitioned the UK High Court to order BT, the UK’s largest internet service provider, to prevent its customers from accessing a website which provides links to pirated films.

Notion of consent clarified by European data protection authorities

The Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, an independent European advisory body on data protection and privacy, has issued an opinion in which they clarify the definition of consent, a key notion in the protection of personal data that gives the data subject control over the processing of their data, and give recommendations for the

Legal action started against Member States late in implementing new EU telecoms rules

The European Commission has started legal action against 20 Member States that have not notified measures to implement the new EU telecoms rules into national law. Letters of formal notice under EU infringement procedures were sent to states that have failed to notify said measures by 25 May 2011.

New European Commission consultation aims to modernise the online audiovisual environment

The European Commission has launched a consultation on the online distribution of television programmes, films and other audiovisual works in the EU.

Prices of roaming calls in the EU to lower by 2012, roaming mobile surcharges to end by 2015

The European Commission has announced that EU mobile operators will have to once again lower retail prices of roaming calls in the EU. The final goal of the EU is to end mobile roaming surcharges by 2015 by boosting competition in the market, the Commission adds.

Facebook’s face-recognition function to be investigated by EU data protection officials

The Article 29 Data Protection Working Party, a group of 27 national data protection and privacy agencies that advises the European Commission on privacy issues, will probe Facebook over a new feature that uses face-recognition software to suggest people’s names to identify in pictures without their permission, report Bloomberg News.

EU Data Retention Directive harmful to privacy?

The European data protection supervisor, Peter Hustinx, whose primary objective is to ensure that European institutions and bodies respect the right to privacy and data protection when they process personal data and develop new policies has issued an opinion on the EU 2006 Data Retention Directive, determining it to contradict privacy and data protection rights.

Scoreboard shows progress of the Digital Agenda

The European Commission has published a scoreboard covering the period from May 2010 to May 2011 of how successfully Member States are delivering the agreed targets of the Digital Agenda for Europe after the first year of its existence.

New telecoms rules to be implemented

Europeans will enjoy new rights and services regarding phones, mobile and Internet, thanks to the revised EU rules on telecoms networks and services. The rules, adopted by the European Parliament and Council in late 2009, had to be implemented into national laws of the EU-27 countries by 25th May 2011.