Sweden, Austria closer to data retention.

• Position: LEGISLATION

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Citing privacy and data protection concerns, Austria and Sweden were among the last European Union (EU) member holdouts who refused to implement the EU's controversial Data Retention Directive, which was enacted in 2006. After years of discussion and breaching EU law, both may finally implement the law.

However, the EU Data Retention Directive will not go into effect in Sweden for at least a year, after a recent vote in the Parliament postponed its implementation, according to IDG News.

Approval of the directive would require Internet providers to store user data for six months, which is the minimum allowed by the EU rules, according to PC World. Currently, most operators save data only for a limited time, if at all, according to the Swedish police.

The European Commission (EC)--the EU's executive branch--is now expected to go to court to determine sanctions against Sweden for not implementing the directive, according to Ulrika Karlsson, member of Parliament for the Moderate Party, who voted to implement the directive.

In 2009, the EC began proceedings against Austria for failing to implement the Data Retention Directive. The European Court of Justice ruled against Austria last year, but now the Austrian government has decided to implement the directive.

Under Austria's draft legislation expected to be passed in May, providers must retain phone, Internet, and e-mail data traffic for six months. Law enforcement authorities and courts will be able to access the data...