EU ministers consider plans to log phone, web data

NEWCASTLE, England (Reuters) - European Union ministers on Thursday discussed plans to log and store phone, email and internet records to help police track terrorists with EU president Britain hopeful of a deal next month.

The proposed measures have triggered civil liberty concerns among EU and national lawmakers while European telecommunication companies say the cost of implementing the plans could cost hundreds of millions of euros.

Despite the opposition, British Home Secretary Charles Clarke was confident the 25-nation bloc would agree to keep records of all people's phone calls, emails and internet use for 12 months when ministers meet again in October.

"I think we will be able to overcome the issues," he told reporters before the start of a two-day informal EU justice and interior ministers' meeting in Newcastle, northern England.

"There is a real desire for us to get a solution and I hope we will," he said, adding that he wanted the new measures agreed and in place in all EU states by the end of this year.

EU states agreed to speed up plans for common rules on the use of data after terror attacks in London on 7 July.

Britain argues the rules are essential to fight terrorism because the data would make it easier for police to gather evidence on suspects.

Clarke acknowledged the proposals, tabled by Britain, Ireland, France and Sweden after the Madrid train bombings last year, had raised civil liberties concerns among lawmakers in other EU states such as the Netherlands.

Cost concerns

EU ministers will hear both from industry experts and law enforcement officials and will have to reconcile the need for tighter security with the expenses incurred by companies if the measures are adopted.

German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries said telecoms firms in her country were worried about the costs.

"Industry will take the position that this is something the state must pay for," she told reporters.

Zypries was also adamant that the consumers should not pick up the bill for the new security measures. Clarke said the cost concerns were "misplaced" and that ministers would look at the possibility of governments paying companies to store records.

Britain and other EU states want telecoms firms not only to log completed phone calls but also calls when the line is busy or there is no answer.

In some EU states, telecom firms charge customers for both types of calls. However, German companies do not and they argue such requirements could be costly to implement.