(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar)

The Spanish Plenary Congress of Deputies approved on 21 June 2007 the draft law on the retention of traffic data requiring fixed and mobile telephony, but also ISPs to retain data for a period of one year and to make it available to law enforcement or secret services under court order.

The bill, called Electronic Communications and Public Communications Network Data Storage Act, represents the implementation of the EU Directive 2006/24/CE on data retention. According to the draft act, the data will be retained only with the purpose to: "detect, investigate and prosecute serious crimes stipulated by the Criminal Code and other special laws" and could be accessed by law enforcement and secret services only under court order.

The pre-paid mobile telephone cards will no longer be anonymous, the telephony operators being obliged to register the data of the pre-paid customers. In case of the cards already sold before the entering into force of the law, operators are bound to gather the information on the card owners during a period of one year and when this is not possible, the cards must be disconnected and cancelled.

According to Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Minister of Interior, this law will place "in the hands of the judges and the police a modern and efficient instrument to fight against organised crime".

The Spanish draft law is now sent for approval to the Senate from where it will return to the chamber of deputies.

Draft Spanish Law on Data retention(only in Spanish, 11.06.2007) http://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L8/CONG/BOCG/A/A_128-09.PDF

The Congress approves the decision of the draft law on the retention of traffic data (only in Spanish, 23.06.2007) http://www.libertaddigital.com/noticias/noticia_1276308198.html

The Congress unanimously approves the new Disciplinary Regime of Guardia Civil (only in Spanish, 21.06.2007) http://www.lexureditorial.com/noticias/0706/21141913.htm