Industry bodies call out 'unbalanced' ePrivacy draft

The DMA and Fedma are ramping up their fight against the ePrivacy Regulation by joining forces with over 70 organisations from across Europe to call for EU policy makers and member states to review the current draft, amid fears of the potential impact on UK business and the knock-on effect to customers.
The industry bodies claim the ePrivacy Regulation, which is currently being reviewed in Brussels, raises a number of concerns for businesses and their marketing activity that is so vital to their continued success.
Following on from letters written to both the EU Council of Ministers and UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright, the group has now written to representatives from all the member states working on the new laws outlining the concerns with the current text and asking for more time to discuss these fully.
The letter calls for the review of six issues within the proposed text, which require further work from policy makers to reach a balanced framework. These include the definition of direct marketing and of automated calling systems, clarifying the rules for business-to-business and communications from charities, and maintaining the existing flexibility surrounding communications to a company’s existing customers.
They are demanding that the final text provides the right balance between protecting individuals’ privacy and continued economic development across Europe.
DMA chief executive Chris Combemale, who is also co-chair of Fedma, said: “The marketing industry is a very important part of the European economy and its future. It provides customers with personal experiences and enables direct communication between businesses and their customers, contributing to the success of the European economy as a whole. The provisions related to our industry in the ePrivacy Regulation must be carefully crafted to achieve the correct balance between privacy and innovation.”