European Union Commissioner Reding Proposes For a Balanced and Thoughtful Approach to RFID
This guest blog entry on the EU Announcement last week on RFID has been written by Dan Caprio, Former Department of Commerce Chief Privacy Officer and the newest addition to the MLA Blog contribution team:
European Union Commissioner Reding Proposes For a Balanced and Thoughtful Approach to RFID
Following extensive and wide ranging consultations in 2006, Commissioner Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media announced a policy devoid of regulating RFID instead opting for the creation of an RFID stakeholder group including consumer groups; industry; national and European authorities including EU Data Protection Authorities to further consider the opportunities and challenges of RFID in Europe.
Over the next two years, the Commission will continue to analyze issues related to spectrum, research and development, standards, privacy and security, intellectual property and the openness, interoperability, and neutrality of RFID databases defined by the Commission as the “Internet of Things.”
On privacy and security and what is described as “the Internet of Things” the Commission will continue to consider what steps might be taken by the end of this year related to the European Data Directive, the EU ePRIVACY Directive and the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party. At the end of 2008, the Commission will publish a formal communication with policy options including privacy and security.
Lesson for Policy Makers in the U.S.
In her report she recognized that privacy and security depend on the nature of RFID applications and a one size fits all approach would be problematic. Commoner Reding understands that regulation of RFID is premature and might stifle innovation and future applications.
My colleague at the European Commission, Gerald Santucci, Head of Unit for DG Information Security and Media deserves enormous credit for his tireless engagement with industry, civil society, and foreign Governments that we began in 2005 while I was the Chief Privacy Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Editor's Note:
Gerald Santucci will be in Washington, DC the week of April 2 for the DOD's RFID conference -- and a guest of Dan Caprio and McKennal Long and Aldridge for a presentation about the EU decision on April 2. Check this site for the invitation.
