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Justice and security agenda in Europe is very dangerous
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old_green wrote:Monday, 4 May 2009 at 11:28 pm (UTC)
Paradoxically, Europe is not a democracy, even though it is composed of democracies and holds elections.Decisions are made out of sight, which is the majority of the problem - there is absolutely no accountability.
Votes at the Council of Ministers are taken in secret - we cannot know if our nation has voted for or against a measure. Our ministers can claim they opposed something when the truth may be exactly the opposite - they may have pushed for its adoption.
The UK has been spearheading a very negative justice and security agenda in Europe, including privacy-invading technology. This has all been happening largely out-of-sight.
Do you think perhaps this is why UK politicians are so keen that Europe isn't discussed seriously here in Britain?
Let's take a look at some of the issues: -
* A new five year plan for justice and home affairs that emphasises the surveillance state and keeping digital records of all citizens' activities
http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/t
* Plans for database registration of all citizens and universal biometric ID cards, with RFID
* The EU directive (2006/24/EC) on 'data retention', creating a database recording all communications, phone calls and emails (incidentally, approved by the European Parliament)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentis
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/20
* Introducing databases tracking political activists even before 9/11.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/sep/1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/may/3
* The willingness of the EU to compromise to the US on privacy, shown in the release of airline passenger data to USA, with inadequate privacy protection.
* Plans to fingerprint all children, compulsorily over the age of 12
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/jul/3
* An EU initiative to continuously track the speed and position of vehicles, about to go on trial in the UK
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/3
* An EU directive on road pricing which will require tracking and identification of all vehicles in Europe
Directive 2004/52/EC
https://www.privacyos.eu/wiki/index.p
* An EU-funded pilot scheme in Romania to put RFID into all government documents
* Apparent backing for the RFID (Radio-Frequency ID chips) tracking system in goods and stores, which would allow tracking and profiling of all individuals
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