The retention of communication data without the suspicion of criminal activity is not compatible with EU law. This was announced by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg today, and with this decision, the corresponding EU directive on blanket data retention has been declared invalid.
eco – the Association of the German Internet Industry e.V. welcomes the clear decision from the ECJ.
Oliver Süme, eco Director of Policy and Law, on the judgment:
“The ECJ judgment confirms the disproportionality, often commented on by us, of such data retention without cause. We therefore appeal to the German Federal Government to abandon the plans for the re-introduction of blanket data retention. The necessity for implementation has been dispensed with. A re-introduction of blanket data retention in Germany and the multi-million euro costs associated with it would not only endanger the competitiveness of German companies, it would also weaken Germany in general as an Internet location. The Federal Government is putting a lot at stake for a measure whose actual usefulness in the fight against crime still has not been proven.”
Mr. Süme is available for interviews. Interested journalists should contact sidonie.guenther@eco.de