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</style><title>ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w26 - ORG Wiki</title></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><span class="Apple-Mail-URLShareWrapperClass" contenteditable="false"><span class="Apple-Mail-URLShareUserContentTopClass" style="line-height: 14px !important; color: black !important; text-align: left !important;" applecontenteditable="true"><br></span><span class="Apple-Mail-URLShareSharedContentClass" style="position: relative !important;" applecontenteditable="true"><base><div><div class="original-url"><a href="https://wiki.openrightsgroup.org/wiki/ORG_parliamentary_and_policy_update/2014-w26">https://wiki.openrightsgroup.org/wiki/ORG_parliamentary_and_policy_update/2014-w26</a><br><br></div><div id="article" role="article" style="-webkit-locale: en; border-bottom-width: 0px;">
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<div class="page" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px;"><h1 class="title">ORG Parliamentary and policy update</h1><p>Top Stories:
</p>
<ul>
<li> Home Secretary <a href="/wiki/ORG_parliamentary_and_policy_update/2014-w26#Home_Secretary_speech_on_mass_surveillance" title="ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w26"> denies practice</a> of mass surveillance, allures to revival of Communications Data Bill.
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> US Attorney General <a href="/wiki/ORG_parliamentary_and_policy_update/2014-w26#Nick_Clegg_response_to_Theresa_May_revival_calls_for_.27Snoopers_Charter.27" title="ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w26"> will propose</a> new legislation that will give European the same rights as Americans in data transfers.
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Information Commissioner <a href="/wiki/ORG_parliamentary_and_policy_update/2014-w26#Annual_report_by_the_Intelligence_Services_Commissioner" title="ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w26"> publishes</a> 2013 annual report.
</li>
</ul>
<p>This is ORG's Parliamentary and policy update for the week beginning
</p><p>If you are reading this online, you can also subscribe to the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://lists.openrightsgroup.org/listinfo/parliamentary.monitor">email version</a>.
</p>
<h2><span>Official Meetings</span></h2>
<p>Jim Killock has been in Washington this week attending discussions about the ongoing trade negotiations for the <a href="/wiki/TTIP" title="TTIP">Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)</a>. He met with Susan Morgan from the <a href="/wiki/Global_Network_Initiative" title="Global Network Initiative">Global Network Initiative</a> and Sarah St Vincent from the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://cdt.org/about/">Centre for Democracy & Technology</a>.
</p><p>Javier Ruiz had a data sharing meeting in the <a href="/wiki/Cabinet_Office" title="Cabinet Office">Cabinet Office</a> on Thursday to discuss fraud, error and debt. Javier and Pam Cowburn also met with the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.crin.org/en/home/about">Child Rights International Network</a> on Friday to discuss web filters.
</p>
<h2><span>Consultations and departments</span></h2>
<p><i>A full list of open consultations and Parliamentary events can be found on our <a href="/wiki/Events" title="Events">Events</a></i>
</p>
<h3><span>Annual report by the Intelligence Services Commissioner</span></h3>
<p>The <a href="/wiki/Intelligence_Services_Commissioner" title="Intelligence Services Commissioner">Intelligence Services Commissioner</a>, released his annual report for 2013. It should be noted that the Commissioner only reviewed 318 warrants and authorisations out of a total of 1887.
</p><p>Some of the key finding were:
</p>
<ul>
<li> 33 errors reported
</li>
<li> 19 mistakes by <a href="/wiki/MI5" title="MI5">MI5</a>, 10 mistakes by <a href="/wiki/MI6" title="MI6">MI6</a>, 3 mistakes by <a href="/wiki/GCHQ" title="GCHQ">GCHQ</a>
</li>
<li> 418 instances where “consideration had to be given as to whether there was a serious risk of an individual being subject to unacceptable conduct either because they were in the detention of a liaison service, or if intelligence was supplied to solicit detention and they were then detained.” (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/home/2014/06/intelligence-services-commissioners-oversight-weak-unaccountable.html">Big Brother Watch</a>).
</li>
</ul>
<p>You can view the report in full <a rel="nofollow" href="http://isc.intelligencecommissioners.com/docs/40707_HC304IntelligenceServicesCommissioner_Accessible.pdf">online</a> (PDF).
</p>
<h2><span>Debates, questions and speeches</span></h2>
<h3><span>Home Secretary speech on mass surveillance</span></h3>
<p><a href="/wiki/Theresa_May_MP" title="Theresa May MP">Theresa May MP</a> made a speech on Tuesday where she denied the practice of mass surveillance on the basis that in order for it to constitute mass surveillance it must be "pervasive and thorough observation".
</p><p>Her speech follows a witness statement by the head of the Home Office's security and counter-terrorism unit, <a href="/wiki/Charles_Farr" title="Charles Farr">Charles Farr</a>, who for the first time last week <a href="/wiki/ORG_parliamentary_and_policy_update/2014-w25#Surveillance_of_UK_citizens_permitted_because_they_are_treated_as_.27external_communications.27" title="ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w25"> admitted</a> the government was collecting communication information from social media sites, on the basis that they constituted external communications. The Home Secretary dismissed criticisms that this practise exploited a loophole in <a href="/wiki/Regulation_of_Investigatory_Powers_Act_2000" title="Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000"> RIPA</a> as 'nonsense'.
</p><p>She warned that developing technology meant it was harder for the government to obtain data which would result in "making the internet an ungoverned, ungovernable space, a safe haven for terrorism and criminality."
</p><p>She also allured to a revival of the <a href="/wiki/Communications_Data_Bill" title="Communications Data Bill">Communications Data Bill</a> (also referred to as the Snooper's Charter), by making the case that a reform to the law which would allow the government to maintain their capabilities, were "quite simply a question of life and death, a matter of national security" (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/24/theresa-may-security-services-mass-surveillance-snoopers-charter">The Guardian</a>).
</p><p>You can view a transcript of her speech <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/home-secretarys-defence-and-security-lecture">online</a>.
</p>
<h3><span>Nick Clegg's response to Theresa May's revival calls for 'Snoopers Charter'</span></h3>
<p>The Deputy Prime Minister <a href="/wiki/Nick_Clegg_MP" title="Nick Clegg MP">Nick Clegg MP</a>, in response to <a href="/wiki/Theresa_May_MP" title="Theresa May MP"> Theresa May's</a> speech on Tuesday has warned there will not be a revival of the <a href="/wiki/Communications_Data_Bill" title="Communications Data Bill">Communications Data Bill</a> while he was in government. He said "So no to what I call the weblog snoopers' charter. Yes of course to keeping up with technology but yes also to much wider reforms to improve the accountability, the checks and balances and the transparency with which these surveillance powers are used." (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/26/nick-clegg-snoopers-charter-bill-election-theresa-may">The Guardian</a>).
</p>
<h2><span>International Developments</span></h2>
<h3><span>US Attorney General to propose legislation that would give Europeans the same rights as Americans for data transfers</span></h3>
<p>Eric Holder, America's Attorney General, said that as part of negotiations to establish a EU-US Data Protection and Privacy Agreement, he would propose legislation that would "provide E.U. citizens with the right to seek redress in U.S. courts if personal data shared with U.S. authorities by their home countries for law enforcement purposes under the proposed agreement is subsequently intentionally or willfully disclosed" (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/06/25/us_privacy_rights_deal_offered_eu/">The Register)</a>.
</p><p>The press release is available in full <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/June/14-ag-668.html">online</a>.
</p>
<h2><span>European Union</span></h2>
<h3><span>Draft White Paper on EU copyright policy leaked</span></h3>
<p>A <a href="/wiki/White_paper" title="White paper">White Paper</a> titled "A copyright policy for creativity and innovation in the European Union" has been leaked and made available by <a href="http://IPKat.com">IPKat.com</a>.
</p><p>The three main objectives of the White Paper are:
</p>
<ul>
<li> To further facilitate the availability of and access to content in the digital single market
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Ensuring the optimal articulation between copyright and other public policy objectives
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Achieving a copyright marketplace and value-chain that works efficiently for all players and gives the right incentives for investment in creative and intellectual work.
</li>
</ul>
<p>You can view a more detailed analysis by IPKat <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ipkitten.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/super-kat-exclusive-heres-commissions.html">online</a>.
</p><p>The draft copy is available <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/0xcflgrav01tqlb/White%20Paper%20%28internal%20draft%29%20%281%29.PDF">online</a> in PDF format.
</p>
<h3><span>New Legislation protecting consumers online</span></h3>
<p>On the 13th June, a new EU Consumer Rights Directive, came into force bringing in a series of new protections for European consumers online. Some of the main points were:
</p>
<ul>
<li> End of unjustified surcharges for the use of credit cards and hotlines
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> 14 days cancellation of a purchase
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Ban on advertising products as free with secret charge (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-655_en.htm">Europa</a>).
</li>
</ul>
<p>A <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ec.europa.eu/justice/consumer-marketing/files/crd_guidance_en.pdf">guidance document</a> and the amendments to the Directive, have been published <a rel="nofollow" href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083&rid=1">online</a>.
</p>
<h2><span>ORG Media coverage</span></h2>
<p>See <a href="/wiki/ORG_Press_Coverage" title="ORG Press Coverage">ORG Press Coverage</a> for full details.
</p>
<dl>
<dt>2014-06-24 - Out-Law - <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2014/june/uk-government-faces-potential-legal-action-if-data-retention-practices-are-not-ended/">UK government faces potential legal action if data retention practices are not ended</a>
</dt>
<dd><b>Author</b>: N/A
</dd>
<dd><b>Summary</b>: Article about the potential legal action the government faces from the Open Rights Group if they do not change data retention practices.
</dd>
</dl>
<h2><span>ORG contact details</span></h2>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff">Staff page</a>
</p>
<ul>
<li> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff#jim">Jim Killock, Executive Director</a>
</li>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff#elizabeth">Elizabeth Knight, Legal Director</a>
</li>
<li> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff#javier">Javier Ruiz, Policy</a>
</li>
<li> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff#lee">Lee Maguire, Tech</a>
</li>
<li> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.openrightsgroup.org/people/staff#pam">Pam Cowburn, Communications</a>
</li>
</ul>
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