The latest complaint on the controversial proposal is from the
Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe
(UNICE). Its members are 33 industrial and employers federations
from 26 countries. UNICE, founded in 1958, describes itself as “the
official voice of more than 16 million small, medium and large
companies active in Europe.”
Cookies are small files that are stored on an internet user’s
computer. Used responsibly, cookies ease a user’s movement between
pages on and visits to a web site, for example, by removing the
need to re-enter information.
If passed in its present form, the Directive would introduce a
general requirement for web site operators to provide prior
information about the use of cookies before serving them to the
user's computer. It does not discriminate between different types
of cookie.
UNICE said in a statement this week that it is fully aware of
the importance of adequate privacy protection throughout the
Internal Market, but fears that “an indiscriminate ban of cookies,
a tool which facilitates the use of web sites will shy off
consumers and harm business.”
It warns that the current proposal will create barriers and
reduce the user-friendliness of web sites: the risk is that
internet users will be confronted by multiple pop-up windows
providing them with information “prior” to the sending of each
cookie. This would affect usability and runs contrary to the
European Commission’s goal of “getting Europe on-line”.
Last month, the Interactive Advertising Bureau was supported by
a number of other bodies in proposing an amendment to the European
Parliament. The recommendation provides that web sites should be
required to use cookies in accordance with existing data protection
laws and that the sites must give clear and precise information
about the purposes of cookies – without this information needing to
be prior information.
The current proposal is to be put to a vote at the next meeting
of the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights on 18th April.
The plenary session vote is scheduled for 13th May in
Strasbourg.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau's full position on the draft
law’s treatment of cookies is available on the web site of the
Advertising Association at:
www.adassoc.org.uk/position/cookies.html
