EU Stepping Up Its Move To Combat Spyware And Spam

The Commission noted in a recent communication that despite current EU laws to bar spam mails in Europe, European countries continues to experience illegitimate online activities being operated from inside European Union and third world countries.

European Commission said that uncalled emails continue to scourge Europeans and constitute around 50-80% of the total mails received. It has also forced that although Internet security is a political issue for some time, member states must accelerate their attempts to indict illegitimate online activities.

A EU report noted that only Finland and Netherlands were preparing to enforce the 2002 law to check spam.

The Commission stated that better cooperation with the enforcements faculty of other countries, including those outside EU is required to beat the spammers. It noted that EU and US have decided to tackle the spam through combined enforcement initiatives.

Research results of various organizations like Spamhaus shows that around 4/5th of all spam mails can be trailed to 200 criminal groups that are operating internationally. US is the biggest spam source with a share of 22% of total spam received in EU, informed the Commission. China comes second with 13%, followed by South Korea and France with a joint share of 6%.

The findings of EU study come after four years of the adoption of anti-spam legislation as 'e-privacy directive' by European Commission. Viviane Reding, Commissioner, Information Society and Media, stated, "this is the time to convert political concern over spam into solid actions to combat spam".

If no improvements will be done by this time in the coming year, then Reding will think of introducing new governmental steps to battle the plague. She gave the example of Netherlands to point out that how the existing legal system can be employed to reduce spam. OPTA, the spam-busting body of Holland has cut down spam by 85% and they have done this commendable job with just five full-time employees and equipment of worth $747,000.

EU is gearing itself to propose new directives in the first half of 2007 to fortify current user privacy and safety provisions. Officials are arguing whether these directives should include specific fines and procedures to sue spammers.

Related article: E-Crime Reporting Format To Be Launched in July

» SPAMfighter News - 11/29/2006