INFORMATION SOCIETY: CONVENTION ON LEGAL CO-OPERATION.

• Position: European Commission

The EU Council of Ministers voted without a debate on September 27 ("Internal Market" session) to adopt a decision authorising the European Commission, on the EU's behalf, to negotiate a Convention on information and legal co-operation on information society services within the relevant bodies of the Council of Europe. The aim of these negotiations is to extend the mechanism established at the EU level through Directive 98/34/EC and 98/48 to third country members of the Council of Europe. These Directives establish a compulsory system on regulatory information and a mechanism on regular administrative co-operation. Directive 98/34/EC of June 22 1998 provides for an information procedure in the area of technical regulations and standards. It was amended by Directive 98/48, which extends these provisions to the information society.In...