Computer industry gives guarded welcome to EU telecoms package

The body representing major software firms has voiced concern about elements of the telecoms package MEPs will vote on this week.

The draft legislation, a reform of the current set of electronic communications rules dating from 2002, will be voted by deputies on Wednesday during parliament’s plenary in Brussels.

The Brussels-based Business Software Alliance, the umbrella body for the industry representing companies like Microsoft and Intel, generally welcomes the proposed legislation.

But its senior director Francisco Mingorance said that companies had “key” concerns about the issues of data protection and technology mandates.

He said, “In particular, we are saying to MEPs that technology mandates, as an aspect of internet filtering, are not the way forward.

“Not a lot of people realise that the current draft could forbid the processing of anonymous internet traffic data, on which the security of all internet-based services and applications is based.

“The processing of anonymous internet traffic data is necessary to allow for the development of effective security measures such as anti-virus software.

“If anonymous traffic data cannot be processed for deploying and providing online security services, the internet becomes a vulnerable space to hackers.”

However, he said the BSA, which represents about 85 per cent of the market, was “fully supportive” of the telecoms package, saying, “This long-overdue modernisation of telecoms legislation should bring more security for online users.”

The legislation covers mobile and fixed telephones, broadcasting and the internet.

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