European Union for Google and Facebook: The Companies based outside the European Union must comply with EU data protection rules, justice ministers agreed on Friday, although governments remain divided on how to enforce them on companies operating inside in the Union.
The deal, which forces internet giants such as Google and Facebook to comply with EU law, is a first step in a wider reform to strengthen privacy laws. British telecommunications giant Vodafone revealed today in a new report that some governments had direct access on its network in order to intercept its customers' communications.
This revelation of the extent of telephone tapping in European countries shows that this practice is not limited to the US. The world's second-largest mobile operator, Vodafone, is based in the UK. "All companies operating on European soil must apply the laws," European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Viviane Reding stressed during a press conference following a meeting with Justice Ministers European Union in Luxembourg, which resulted in a decision supported by the EU Court of Justice. "It is now time for European Ministers to give a positive response to the call ing of Edward Snowden, "said Reding.
Commenting on the revelations about Vodafone said: "All these facts show how important it is to have a data protection mechanism that will be fully entrenched. In the countries of the European Union, a judge must allow access to citizens' personal data and these rules apply across the EU, "said Reading, adding:" We have no jurisdiction in third country legislation. "
