EU security plan considers holding telephone records

European Union justice and interior ministers were today discussing a contentious plan on retaining data from telephone calls and e-mails as part of beefed-up measures to fight terrorism and organised crime.

No decision on the plan was expected during the Brussels talks, which will also focus on efforts to set up a European “evidence warrant” and further co-ordination on new security features in passports.

Plans to retain telecoms traffic data was made a key anti-terror priority by EU leaders following the March 11 rail bombings in Madrid. They set a June 2005 deadline to have a new law on the books.

The current draft calls for a minimum and mandatory retention period of 12 months, but would not include the recording of the content of calls – only at what times calls or e-mails were sent and to whom.

Telecommunications providers would have to retain their records for at least 12 months in case police investigators need to check them.

The plan has angered privacy advocates and industry, as well as EU MPs who complain the 25 EU governments are trying to push through the measure without proper scrutiny from the European Parliament.