[FYI] Details ueber EU-Streit zur "elektronischen Signatur"

[Horns@t-online.de (Axel H. Horns)]

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/c European Communities, 1998 

 Record Control Number : 11749 
                             Date : 1998-12-10 


Category : Preparatory act

General Information : 

Member States meeting at the Telecommunications Council on 27 November
1998 failed to agree on the requirements for a Community Framework for
electronic signatures. The issue was referred back to diplomats to
continue work on the proposed directive. 

The proposal aims at facilitating the use of electronic signatures to
ensure the proper functioning of the internal market. The Framework
would apply to all electronic commerce and other contracts. 

Discussions centred around the question of whether there should be
mandatory requirements in the directive, specifying the quality and
level of security of signature creation and verification devices in
order to give them full legal recognition. 

Council having failed to reach an agreement at the meeting, it now
seems impossible to fulfil the objective of getting the directive
approved before the end of next year. The proposal will be discussed
again at the next Telecommunications Council on 22 April 1999, after
the European Parliament has given its opinion. The codecision
procedure requires a second reading in Parliament after Council has
approved the draft directive. But by April of next year, the European
Parliament will be fully involved in the process for elections to the
Parliament in June 1999.

Data Source Provider : Press office of the Council of the European
Union

Document Reference : Based on Council press release 13456/98 (press
416-G)

Subject Index Codes : Legislation, Regulations; Telecommunications

Contact Person : 

For further information, please contact: 

Council press office 
Tel. +32-2-285.62.19 
E-mail: press.office@consilium.eu.int

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