27 January, 2020
Telecommunications and Cable Industry Note on the Draft e-Privacy Regulation
ETNO, the GSMA and Cable Europe, as the voice of Europe’s leading telecom and cable operators, have been heavily invested in the debate surrounding the draft e-Privacy Regulation, since its publication in January 2017.
We have contributed constructively to the deliberative process given that confidentiality of communications lies at the heart of the services offered by telecom and cable operators. We consider the protection of privacy of our customers and their communications as integral, and not an obstacle, to allowing European telcos to use electronic communications metadata for added-value services improving customer experience and bringing societal benefits.
Since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has transformed Europe into a standard setter for fundamental rights protection in the digital economy, it is crucial that the ePrivacy Regulation has a clear articulation and alignment with the GDPR, confirm a level playing field for all players, and allow European industry to be competitive in the growing field of data analytics and lead in responsible Artificial Intelligence.
Council’s recent failure to achieve an agreement on the proposal begs for a moment of reflection. Although the reasons for rejection may differ from one Member State to another, the draft regulation continues to raise deep concerns across countries and across sectors, nearly three years since its inception.
Therefore, ETNO, the GSMA and Cable Europe believe it is the right time to consider whether the proposal on the table is an appropriate basis for adequately complementing the GDPR framework, as well as enabling the European Commission’s vision for digital leadership, a thriving data economy and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence.
We thereby call on the Commission to support a revamped proposal that effectively achieves the above-mentioned objectives. We are committed to cooperating with the Commission and the rotating Presidency of Council in attaining the best possible way forward for this crucial file.
Discover the content of the note signed by the 3 associations by clicking on the button below.
