[FYI] EU on Spam

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

                    CORDIS RTD-NEWS/c European Communities, 1999. 

                    Record Control Number: 13462

                    Date: 1999-08-11

                    Category: Tender

                    General Information:

                    Data protection and privacy issues have always
                    been priorities for scientists and researchers.
                    But the advent of electronic mail lends them
                    another dimension in the form of unsolicited
                    e-mails, or 'spam' - often sent from commercial
                    organisations. 

                    Now the European Commission wants to investigate
                    the problem. It has recently announced a call for
                    tenders for a study on the specific
                    data-protection and privacy issues raised by
                    unsolicited electronic mail, and particularly
                    unsolicited commercial communications, and on the
                    nature of the regulatory response to these issues
                    within the European Union. 

                    During the first stage of the study, the
                    contractor will be required to carry out an
                    overview of the state of development of
                    unsolicited electronic mail (including those from
                    commercial sources) at a global level. The data
                    protection and privacy issues, as well as the
                    wider commercial context in which the relevant
                    services and tolls are being developed should be
                    explored. 

                    The contractor should conduct an in-depth
                    technical examination covering the processing of
                    personal data for unsolicited e-mails. They should
                    also explore the importance attached to privacy
                    concerns by those developing the relevant services
                    and tools and by the target users. This should
                    include an examination of the efforts made to
                    address these concerns, including the impact on
                    regulation related to data protection or
                    self-regulation, and the public's awareness of
                    such matters. 

                    In a second stage, the study should consider the
                    actual or likely regulatory response to these data
                    protection issues in four EU Member States,
                    identifying any differences in approach. 

                    Remarks:

                    The deadline for requesting tender documents is 18
                    September 1999. The deadline for submitting
                    tenders is 21 September 1999.

                    Data Source Provider: Official Journal of the
                    European Communities

                    Document Reference: OJ No S 154 of 11.8.1999, p.
                    38.

                    Subject Index Codes: Innovation, Technology
                    Transfer; Telecommunications

                    Contact Person:

                    For further information, please contact, quoting
                    reference XV/99/19E: 

                    European Commission 
                    DG XV - Internal Market and financial services
                    Unit E.1 200 rue de la Loi (C107 2/8) B-1049
                    Brussels Fax +322-2968010