Affront to right to privacy declared illegal by ECJ

GUE/NGL MEP Cornelia Ernst welcomes today's European Court Of Justice ruling that the EU data retention directive – which compels mobile phone companies and internet providers to keep data on customer locations, as well as their mails, texts and online activity – is illegal.

 

“Today's judgement shows what activists can achieve,” Ernst said, congratulating those who brought the case forward. “This directive, with its resulting mass surveillance, contravened EU law and constituted a clear breach of the right to privacy under the Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. After eight years of data retention and the consequent abuse of rights, today the rule of law and respect for the protection of personal data have been strengthened. Now, a similar review of many other personal data collection and transfer instruments, which have been adopted as part of so-called anti-terrorism measures, is required in order to win back the respect for privacy in a democratic society.”

 

GUE/NGL Press:

David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08