EU court cites “constant surveillance,” strikes down data collection law

Europe’s highest court declared that a directive requiring phone and Internet companies to retain data for up to two years violated citizens’ fundamental rights to privacy and to control personal data.

The ruling by the European Court of Justice means national governments will have to rewrite data collection laws that the EU requested after terrorist bombings in London and Madrid in 2006. While noting that authorities had a genuine national interest in collecting the data, the court said the current rules exceed what is needed to fight crime, and leave citizens “feeling that their private lives are the subject of constant surveillance.” The decision also complains that the law does not require data collected from phone and Internet companies to remain in the EU -- an apparent acknowledgment about ongoing concern over European countries sharing data with US intelligence services.