No Compromise On EU Cookie Proposal

E-commerce and advertising businesses in the UK and Europe could be set to face high costs and a blow to competitiveness as European legislation on internet “cookies” looks set to go before committee tomorrow without any of the amendments requested by the e-commerce, media and online publishing community.

The legislation would require websites to gain permission from the user every time a cookie is served to a PC. By ‘remembering’ certain information about the user, cookies speed up the use of the internet, but MEPs have raised concerns over privacy issues (see Protests At Cookie Cutting Proposals). The Internet Advertising Bureau, among others, has pointed out that the cost of restructuring in order to cope with the proposed legislation would be detrimental to the fledgling industry.

Danny Meadows-Klue, chairman and CEO of the IAB warned: “If the Commission forces through this legislation it will shoot itself in the foot. It would become a burden to industry and would fly in the face of many national Governments’ strategies to get more users online and develop e-business further…We need UK ministers to support us and understand the damage European legislation would have.”

Internet Advertising Bureau: 020 8683 9667 www.iabuk.net

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