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United Kingdom Statutory Instruments |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> United Kingdom Statutory Instruments >> The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2003/20032426.html |
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Made | 18th September 2003 | ||
Laid before Parliament | 18th September 2003 | ||
Coming into force | 11th December 2003 |
(2) Expressions used in these Regulations that are not defined in paragraph (1) and are defined in the Data Protection Act 1998 shall have the same meaning as in that Act.
(3) Expressions used in these Regulations that are not defined in paragraph (1) or the Data Protection Act 1998 and are defined in the Directive shall have the same meaning as in the Directive.
(4) Any reference in these Regulations to a line shall, without prejudice to paragraph (3), be construed as including a reference to anything that performs the function of a line, and "connected", in relation to a line, is to be construed accordingly.
Revocation of the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999
3.
The Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999[12] and the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) (Amendment) Regulations 2000[13] are hereby revoked.
Relationship between these Regulations and the Data Protection Act 1998
4.
Nothing in these Regulations shall relieve a person of his obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to the processing of personal data.
Security of public electronic communications services
5.
- (1) Subject to paragraph (2), a provider of a public electronic communications service ("the service provider") shall take appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard the security of that service.
(2) If necessary, the measures required by paragraph (1) may be taken by the service provider in conjunction with the provider of the electronic communications network by means of which the service is provided, and that network provider shall comply with any reasonable requests made by the service provider for these purposes.
(3) Where, notwithstanding the taking of measures as required by paragraph (1), there remains a significant risk to the security of the public electronic communications service, the service provider shall inform the subscribers concerned of -
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a measure shall only be taken to be appropriate if, having regard to -
it is proportionate to the risks against which it would safeguard.
(5) Information provided for the purposes of paragraph (3) shall be provided to the subscriber free of any charge other than the cost to the subscriber of receiving or collecting the information.
Confidentiality of communications
6.
- (1) Subject to paragraph (4), a person shall not use an electronic communications network to store information, or to gain access to information stored, in the terminal equipment of a subscriber or user unless the requirements of paragraph (2) are met.
(2) The requirements are that the subscriber or user of that terminal equipment -
(3) Where an electronic communications network is used by the same person to store or access information in the terminal equipment of a subscriber or user on more than one occasion, it is sufficient for the purposes of this regulation that the requirements of paragraph (2) are met in respect of the initial use.
(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the technical storage of, or access to, information -
Restrictions on the processing of certain traffic data
7.
- (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), traffic data relating to subscribers or users which are processed and stored by a public communications provider shall, when no longer required for the purpose of the transmission of a communication, be -
(2) Traffic data held by a public communications provider for purposes connected with the payment of charges by a subscriber or in respect of interconnection payments may be processed and stored by that provider until the time specified in paragraph (5).
(3) Traffic data relating to a subscriber or user may be processed and stored by a provider of a public electronic communications service if -
(4) Where a user or subscriber has given his consent in accordance with paragraph (3), he shall be able to withdraw it at any time.
(5) The time referred to in paragraph (2) is the end of the period during which legal proceedings may be brought in respect of payments due or alleged to be due or, where such proceedings are brought within that period, the time when those proceedings are finally determined.
(6) Legal proceedings shall not be taken to be finally determined -
(7) References in paragraph (6) to an appeal include references to an application for permission to appeal.
Further provisions relating to the processing of traffic data under regulation 7
8.
- (1) Processing of traffic data in accordance with regulation 7(2) or (3) shall not be undertaken by a public communications provider unless the subscriber or user to whom the data relate has been provided with information regarding the types of traffic data which are to be processed and the duration of such processing and, in the case of processing in accordance with regulation 7(3), he has been provided with that information before his consent has been obtained.
(2) Processing of traffic data in accordance with regulation 7 shall be restricted to what is required for the purposes of one or more of the activities listed in paragraph (3) and shall be carried out only by the public communications provider or by a person acting under his authority.
(3) The activities referred to in paragraph (2) are activities relating to -
(4) Nothing in these Regulations shall prevent the furnishing of traffic data to a person who is a competent authority for the purposes of any provision relating to the settling of disputes (by way of legal proceedings or otherwise) which is contained in, or made by virtue of, any enactment.
Itemised billing and privacy
9.
- (1) At the request of a subscriber, a provider of a public electronic communications service shall provide that subscriber with bills that are not itemised.
(2) OFCOM shall have a duty, when exercising their functions under Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Communications Act 2003, to have regard to the need to reconcile the rights of subscribers receiving itemised bills with the rights to privacy of calling users and called subscribers, including the need for sufficient alternative privacy-enhancing methods of communications or payments to be available to such users and subscribers.
Prevention of calling line identification - outgoing calls
10.
- (1) This regulation applies, subject to regulations 15 and 16, to outgoing calls where a facility enabling the presentation of calling line identification is available.
(2) The provider of a public electronic communications service shall provide users originating a call by means of that service with a simple means to prevent presentation of the identity of the calling line on the connected line as respects that call.
(3) The provider of a public electronic communications service shall provide subscribers to the service, as respects their line and all calls originating from that line, with a simple means of preventing presentation of the identity of that subscriber's line on any connected line.
(4) The measures to be provided under paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be provided free of charge.
Prevention of calling or connected line identification - incoming calls
11.
- (1) This regulation applies to incoming calls.
(2) Where a facility enabling the presentation of calling line identification is available, the provider of a public electronic communications service shall provide the called subscriber with a simple means to prevent, free of charge for reasonable use of the facility, presentation of the identity of the calling line on the connected line.
(3) Where a facility enabling the presentation of calling line identification prior to the call being established is available, the provider of a public electronic communications service shall provide the called subscriber with a simple means of rejecting incoming calls where the presentation of the calling line identification has been prevented by the calling user or subscriber.
(4) Where a facility enabling the presentation of connected line identification is available, the provider of a public electronic communications service shall provide the called subscriber with a simple means to prevent, without charge, presentation of the identity of the connected line on any calling line.
(5) In this regulation "called subscriber" means the subscriber receiving a call by means of the service in question whose line is the called line (whether or not it is also the connected line).
Publication of information for the purposes of regulations 10 and 11
12.
Where a provider of a public electronic communications service provides facilities for calling or connected line identification, he shall provide information to the public regarding the availability of such facilities, including information regarding the options to be made available for the purposes of regulations 10 and 11.
Co-operation of communications providers for the purposes of regulations 10 and 11
13.
For the purposes of regulations 10 and 11, a communications provider shall comply with any reasonable requests made by the provider of the public electronic communications service by means of which facilities for calling or connected line identification are provided.
Restrictions on the processing of location data
14.
- (1) This regulation shall not apply to the processing of traffic data.
(2) Location data relating to a user or subscriber of a public electronic communications network or a public electronic communications service may only be processed -
(3) Prior to obtaining the consent of the user or subscriber under paragraph (2)(b), the public communications provider in question must provide the following information to the user or subscriber to whom the data relate -
(4) A user or subscriber who has given his consent to the processing of data under paragraph (2)(b) shall -
(5) Processing of location data in accordance with this regulation shall -
(b) where the processing is carried out for the purposes of the provision of a value added service, be restricted to what is necessary for those purposes.
Tracing of malicious or nuisance calls
15.
- (1) A communications provider may override anything done to prevent the presentation of the identity of a calling line where -
(2) Any term of a contract for the provision of public electronic communications services which relates to such prevention shall have effect subject to the provisions of paragraph (1).
(3) Nothing in these Regulations shall prevent a communications provider, for the purposes of any action relating to the tracing of malicious or nuisance calls, from storing and making available to a person with a legitimate interest data containing the identity of a calling subscriber which were obtained while paragraph (1) applied.
Emergency calls
16.
- (1) For the purposes of this regulation, "emergency calls" means calls to either the national emergency call number 999 or the single European emergency call number 112.
(2) In order to facilitate responses to emergency calls -
Termination of automatic call forwarding
17.
- (1) Where -
the subscriber's provider shall ensure, free of charge, that the forwarding is stopped without any avoidable delay.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), every other communications provider shall comply with any reasonable requests made by the subscriber's provider to assist in the prevention of that forwarding.
Directories of subscribers
18.
- (1) This regulation applies in relation to a directory of subscribers, whether in printed or electronic form, which is made available to members of the public or a section of the public, including by means of a directory enquiry service.
(2) The personal data of an individual subscriber shall not be included in a directory unless that subscriber has, free of charge, been -
(3) Where personal data of an individual subscriber are to be included in a directory with facilities which enable users of that directory to obtain access to that data solely on the basis of a telephone number -
(4) Data relating to a corporate subscriber shall not be included in a directory where that subscriber has advised the producer of the directory that it does not want its data to be included in that directory.
(5) Where the data of an individual subscriber have been included in a directory, that subscriber shall, without charge, be able to verify, correct or withdraw those data at any time.
(6) Where a request has been made under paragraph (5) for data to be withdrawn from or corrected in a directory, that request shall be treated as having no application in relation to an edition of a directory that was produced before the producer of the directory received the request.
(7) For the purposes of paragraph (6), an edition of a directory which is revised after it was first produced shall be treated as a new edition.
(8) In this regulation, "telephone number" has the same meaning as in section 56(5) of the Communications Act 2003[14] but does not include any number which is used as an internet domain name, an internet address or an address or identifier incorporating either an internet domain name or an internet address, including an electronic mail address.
Use of automated calling systems
19.
- (1) A person shall neither transmit, nor instigate the transmission of, communications comprising recorded matter for direct marketing purposes by means of an automated calling system except in the circumstances referred to in paragraph (2).
(2) Those circumstances are where the called line is that of a subscriber who has previously notified the caller that for the time being he consents to such communications being sent by, or at the instigation of, the caller on that line.
(3) A subscriber shall not permit his line to be used in contravention of paragraph (1).
(4) For the purposes of this regulation, an automated calling system is a system which is capable of -
Use of facsimile machines for direct marketing purposes
20.
- (1) A person shall neither transmit, nor instigate the transmission of, unsolicited communications for direct marketing purposes by means of a facsimile machine where the called line is that of -
(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1)(a) are that the individual subscriber has previously notified the caller that he consents for the time being to such communications being sent by, or at the instigation of, the caller.
(3) A subscriber shall not permit his line to be used in contravention of paragraph (1).
(4) A person shall not be held to have contravened paragraph (1)(c) where the number allocated to the called line has been listed on the register for less than 28 days preceding that on which the communication is made.
(5) Where a subscriber who has caused a number allocated to a line of his to be listed in the register kept under regulation 25 has notified a caller that he does not, for the time being, object to such communications being sent on that line by that caller, such communications may be sent by that caller on that line, notwithstanding that the number allocated to that line is listed in the said register.
(6) Where a subscriber has given a caller notification pursuant to paragraph (5) in relation to a line of his -
(7) The provisions of this regulation are without prejudice to the provisions of regulation 19.
Unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes
21.
- (1) A person shall neither use, nor instigate the use of, a public electronic communications service for the purposes of making unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes where -
(2) A subscriber shall not permit his line to be used in contravention of paragraph (1).
(3) A person shall not be held to have contravened paragraph (1)(b) where the number allocated to the called line has been listed on the register for less than 28 days preceding that on which the call is made.
(4) Where a subscriber who has caused a number allocated to a line of his to be listed in the register kept under regulation 26 has notified a caller that he does not, for the time being, object to such calls being made on that line by that caller, such calls may be made by that caller on that line, notwithstanding that the number allocated to that line is listed in the said register.
(5) Where a subscriber has given a caller notification pursuant to paragraph (4) in relation to a line of his -
Use of electronic mail for direct marketing purposes
22.
- (1) This regulation applies to the transmission of unsolicited communications by means of electronic mail to individual subscribers.
(2) Except in the circumstances referred to in paragraph (3), a person shall neither transmit, nor instigate the transmission of, unsolicited communications for the purposes of direct marketing by means of electronic mail unless the recipient of the electronic mail has previously notified the sender that he consents for the time being to such communications being sent by, or at the instigation of, the sender.
(3) A person may send or instigate the sending of electronic mail for the purposes of direct marketing where -
(4) A subscriber shall not permit his line to be used in contravention of paragraph (2).
Use of electronic mail for direct marketing purposes where the identity or address of the sender is concealed
23.
A person shall neither transmit, nor instigate the transmission of, a communication for the purposes of direct marketing by means of electronic mail -
Information to be provided for the purposes of regulations 19, 20 and 21
24.
- (1) Where a public electronic communications service is used for the transmission of a communication for direct marketing purposes the person using, or instigating the use of, the service shall ensure that the following information is provided with that communication -
(2) The particulars referred to in paragraph (1) are -
Register to be kept for the purposes of regulation 20
25.
- (1) For the purposes of regulation 20 OFCOM shall maintain and keep up-to-date, in printed or electronic form, a register of the numbers allocated to subscribers, in respect of particular lines, who have notified them (notwithstanding, in the case of individual subscribers, that they enjoy the benefit of regulation 20(1)(a) and (2)) that they do not for the time being wish to receive unsolicited communications for direct marketing purposes by means of facsimile machine on the lines in question.
(2) OFCOM shall remove a number from the register maintained under paragraph (1) where they have reason to believe that it has ceased to be allocated to the subscriber by whom they were notified pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) On the request of -
for information derived from the register kept under paragraph (1), OFCOM shall, unless it is not reasonably practicable so to do, on the payment to them of such fee as is, subject to paragraph (4), required by them, make the information requested available to that person or that subscriber.
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3) OFCOM may require different fees -
but the fees required by them shall be ones in relation to which the Secretary of State has notified OFCOM that he is satisfied that they are designed to secure, as nearly as may be and taking one year with another, that the aggregate fees received, or reasonably expected to be received, equal the costs incurred, or reasonably expected to be incurred, by OFCOM in discharging their duties under paragraphs (1), (2) and (3).
(5) The functions of OFCOM under paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), other than the function of determining the fees to be required for the purposes of paragraph (3), may be discharged on their behalf by some other person in pursuance of arrangements made by OFCOM with that other person.
Register to be kept for the purposes of regulation 21
26.
- (1) For the purposes of regulation 21 OFCOM shall maintain and keep up-to-date, in printed or electronic form, a register of the numbers allocated to individual subscribers, in respect of particular lines, who have notified them that they do not for the time being wish to receive unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes on the lines in question.
(2) OFCOM shall remove a number from the register maintained under paragraph (1) where they have reason to believe that it has ceased to be allocated to the subscriber by whom they were notified pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) On the request of -
for information derived from the register kept under paragraph (1), OFCOM shall, unless it is not reasonably practicable so to do, on the payment to them of such fee as is, subject to paragraph (4), required by them, make the information requested available to that person or that subscriber.
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3) OFCOM may require different fees -
but the fees required by them shall be ones in relation to which the Secretary of State has notified OFCOM that he is satisfied that they are designed to secure, as nearly as may be and taking one year with another, that the aggregate fees received, or reasonably expected to be received, equal the costs incurred, or reasonably expected to be incurred, by OFCOM in discharging their duties under paragraphs (1), (2) and (3).
(5) The functions of OFCOM under paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), other than the function of determining the fees to be required for the purposes of paragraph (3), may be discharged on their behalf by some other person in pursuance of arrangements made by OFCOM with that other person.
Modification of contracts
27.
To the extent that any term in a contract between a subscriber to and the provider of a public electronic communications service or such a provider and the provider of an electronic communications network would be inconsistent with a requirement of these Regulations, that term shall be void.
National security
28.
- (1) Nothing in these Regulations shall require a communications provider to do, or refrain from doing, anything (including the processing of data) if exemption from the requirement in question is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security.
(2) Subject to paragraph (4), a certificate signed by a Minister of the Crown certifying that exemption from any requirement of these Regulations is or at any time was required for the purpose of safeguarding national security shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.
(3) A certificate under paragraph (2) may identify the circumstances in which it applies by means of a general description and may be expressed to have prospective effect.
(4) Any person directly affected by the issuing of a certificate under paragraph (2) may appeal to the Tribunal against the issuing of the certificate.
(5) If, on an appeal under paragraph (4), the Tribunal finds that, applying the principles applied by a court on an application for judicial review, the Minister did not have reasonable grounds for issuing the certificate, the Tribunal may allow the appeal and quash the certificate.
(6) Where, in any proceedings under or by virtue of these Regulations, it is claimed by a communications provider that a certificate under paragraph (2) which identifies the circumstances in which it applies by means of a general description applies in the circumstances in question, any other party to the proceedings may appeal to the Tribunal on the ground that the certificate does not apply in those circumstances and, subject to any determination under paragraph (7), the certificate shall be conclusively presumed so to apply.
(7) On any appeal under paragraph (6), the Tribunal may determine that the certificate does not so apply.
(8) In this regulation -
Legal requirements, law enforcement etc.
29.
- (1) Nothing in these Regulations shall require a communications provider to do, or refrain from doing, anything (including the processing of data) -
(b) if exemption from the requirement in question -
Proceedings for compensation for failure to comply with requirements of the Regulations
30.
- (1) A person who suffers damage by reason of any contravention of any of the requirements of these Regulations by any other person shall be entitled to bring proceedings for compensation from that other person for that damage.
(2) In proceedings brought against a person by virtue of this regulation it shall be a defence to prove that he had taken such care as in all the circumstances was reasonably required to comply with the relevant requirement.
(3) The provisions of this regulation are without prejudice to those of regulation 31.
Enforcement - extension of Part V of the Data Protection Act 1998
31.
- (1) The provisions of Part V of the Data Protection Act 1998 and of Schedules 6 and 9 to that Act are extended for the purposes of these Regulations and, for those purposes, shall have effect subject to the modifications set out in Schedule 1.
(2) In regulations 32 and 33, "enforcement functions" means the functions of the Information Commissioner under the provisions referred to in paragraph (1) as extended by that paragraph.
(3) The provisions of this regulation are without prejudice to those of regulation 30.
Request that the Commissioner exercise his enforcement functions
32.
Where it is alleged that there has been a contravention of any of the requirements of these Regulations either OFCOM or a person aggrieved by the alleged contravention may request the Commissioner to exercise his enforcement functions in respect of that contravention, but those functions shall be exercisable by the Commissioner whether or not he has been so requested.
Technical advice to the Commissioner
33.
OFCOM shall comply with any reasonable request made by the Commissioner, in connection with his enforcement functions, for advice on technical and similar matters relating to electronic communications.
Amendment to the Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) (Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000
34.
In regulation 3 of the Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) (Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000[16], for paragraph (3), there shall be substituted -
Amendment to the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003
35.
- (1) In paragraphs 2(2) and 3(2) of the Schedule to the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003[17], for the words "Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999" there shall be substituted "Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003".
(2) Paragraph (1) shall have effect notwithstanding the provisions of section 65 of the Communications Act 2003[18] (which provides for the modification of the Universal Service Order made under that section).
Transitional provisions
36.
The provisions in Schedule 2 shall have effect.
Stephen Timms,
Minister of State for Energy, E-Commerce and Postal Services, Department of Trade and Industry
18th September 2003
2.
In section 41(1) and (2), for the words "data protection principle or principles", in both places where they occur, there shall be substituted the words "relevant requirement or requirements".
3.
Section 42 shall be omitted.
4.
In section 43 -
5.
Sections 44, 45 and 46 shall be omitted.
6.
In section 47 -
7.
In section 48 -
8.
In section 49 subsection (5) shall be omitted.
9.
In paragraph 4(1) of Schedule (6), for the words "(2) or (4)" there shall be substituted the words "or (2)".
10.
In paragraph 1 of Schedule 9 -
(b) subparagraph (2) shall be omitted.
11.
In paragraph 9 of Schedule 9 -
(3) Where a request has been made under subparagraph (2) for data to be withdrawn from a directory, that request shall be treated as having no application in relation to an edition of a directory that was produced before the producer of the directory received the request.
(4) For the purposes of subparagraph (3), an edition of a directory, which is revised after it was first produced, shall be treated as a new edition.
[3] 2003 c. 21; for the commencement of section 405, see section 411(2) and (3) of the same Act.back
[5] OJ No L 201, 31.07.02, p. 37.back
[6] For the commencement of section 32, see article 2(1) of S.I. 2003/1900 (C. 77).back
[7] 1998 c. 29; section 6 was amended by section 18(4) of and paragraph 13(1) and (2) of Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c. 36).back
[10] 1990 c. 42; section 201 was amended by section 148(1) of and paragraph 11 of Schedule 10 to the Broadcasting Act 1996 (c. 55).back
[11] For the commencement of section 151, see article 2(1) of S.I. 2003/1900 (C. 77).back
[14] 2003 c. 21; for the commencement of section 56(5), see article 2(1) of S.I. 2003/1900 (C. 77).back
[18] 2003 c. 21; for the commencement of section 65, see article 2(1) of S.I. 2003/1900 (C. 77).back
[19] For the commencement of section 411, see section 411(2) and (3) of the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21).back