European Digital Rights was founded in June 2002. Currently 35 privacy and civil rights organisations have EDRi membership. They are based or have offices in 21 different countries in Europe.
Members of European Digital Rights have joined forces to defend civil rights in the information society. The need for cooperation among organisations active in Europe is increasing as more regulation regarding the internet, copyright and privacy is originating from European institutions, or from international institutions with strong impact in Europe.
News & announcements
Parliament Legal Affairs Committee adopts improved position on privacy legislation
19 March, 2013
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The European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) has adopted its Opinion on the Data Protection Regulation. Even though the adopted text has fatal flaws, it represents a significant improvement compared with the Opinions adopted in other committees. Despite the avalanche of lobbying by a section of industry, business associations, “SME associations” funded by big business, “independent” associations funded by big business and lobbying by the US government, this change is a remarkable tribute to the impact of citizens having their say in Brussels. It also shows that the momentum is slowly moving towards more coherent support for privacy in Europe.
One example of this change of direction is “data portability”.
European Parliament considers a ban on “all pornography”, policed by private companies
Time:
7 Mar 2013 - 10
The ridiculous efforts of certain companies to censor the Internet are already a serious cause for concern. This trend becomes even more worrying when such privatised censorship gets political support.
Next week, the European Parliament votes on a non-binding resolution supporting a ban on "all forms of pornography" (paragraph 17), with online policing being done by private companies (paragraph 14).
Mainstreaming digital rights in European policy-making – 10 years on
4 March, 2013
PRESS RELEASE
On Monday 4 March, EDRi celebrated its 10th anniversary at the European Parliament in Brussels. To mark the occasion, EDRi held a meeting with European Commission Vice-President, Viviane Reding. The Vice-President is responsible for the Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship portfolio in the Commission.
"As EU Commissioner in charge of the Information Society and now as EU Commissioner for Justice, I have worked together with the European Digital Rights organisation for many years," she said. "Thanks to our joint efforts we have made sure that the internet could not be blocked and that data protection standards remain high in Europe. Today we are celebrating EDRi's 10th anniversary. Congratulations for 10 years of great work!
Industry Committee scrapes together a majority for a disastrous data protection opinion
20 February, 2013
The Industry Committee (ITRE) of the European Parliament today adopted a disastrously badly drafted Opinion on data protection. The effect of the adopted text would be to effectively rip up decades of privacy legislation in Europe, undermining trust and confidence – to the detriment of both citizens and business.
"There are positives to be drawn out of this result," said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of EDRi. "The majority was not huge and the number of bad amendments was reduced over the past few days, in order to scrape this majority together.
