TELECOMS: DATA RETENTION TO COMBAT TERRORISM.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks in London, moves to introduce a standardised system for the retention of telecoms data throughout the EU will top the agenda of the extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council to be held in Brussels on July 13. The biggest change to earlier proposals is the decision to store all European citizens' telephone conversations and emails for between six and 12 months, which the Commission believes will facilitate future inquiries, should the need arise. The arrangement is part of a highly controversial framework-decision that has been on the Council's agenda for six months.

France, the UK, Sweden and Ireland submitted the framework decision programme in April 2004 to help the police increase their efficiency in fighting crime. The project is initially planned for 12 months, during which period, data from land lines and mobile phones, emails and internet traffic - including the day, date and destination of calls - will have to be stored. During the Council on June 2 and 3, EU justice and home affairs ministers agreed that the requirements should be introduced gradually, starting with telephone calls. The framework decision project needs to be accepted unanimously by the member states.

On June 7, the European Parliament, which has only a consultative role on this...