RFID

1
RFID What to expect from EU Regulation?

• Dr. Jorgo Chatzimarkakis
• Member of European Parliament
• Committe of Industry/Research/Energy

2
Why does the EU Regulate?

• Harmonising Legislation of Member States in the
  Single Market
• 70 of Economic Legislation in Member States by
  EU
• 80 of Environmental Legislation
• 90 of Consumer Protection Legislation
• 100 of Food Safety Legislation
• Producing too much EU Laws?
• What ist Better Regulation?
• EU Competence to Regulate
• Two Instruments Directives and Instruments

3
How does the EU Regulate?

• Commission has right of initiative
• Organising consultations (involving all
  stakeholders)
• White paper (optional)
• Communication to the Council and the European
  Parliament
• If asked by the Council Proposal for a
  legislation
• Process of co-decision / EP equally involved
• Example Software Patents
• Influence of European Parliament has grown

4
Why is RFID important for EU?

• Competence is given (Information Society)
• Question of Single Market (trade barrier)
• Lisbon Agenda
• Consumer protection
• EU Commissioner Viviane Reding
• RFID, which will soon replace bar codes in your
  supermarket, offer tremendous opportunities for
  business and society. But their power to report
  their location, identity and history also raises
  serious concerns about personal privacy and
  security, as well as technical interoperability
  and international compatibility.

5
What does the EU concretely do on RFID?

• On 9 March EU Commissioner Reding launched
  wide-ranging public debate
• Question Opportunities and challenges posed by
  RFID for government, industry and society
• 4 major steps
• March-June 06 Series of high-level workshops
• June-July 06 Wide-public online-consultation
  based on outcome of workshops (on Commissions
  Website)
• Fall 06 Final report and presentation of
  findings
• End 06 Communication on the future EU framework
  for RFID

6
Thematic Workshop 1 RFID Application Domains
and Emerging Trends

• RFID Offers promising application potential
• Various domains Pharmaceuticals, health,
  agriculture, transport, logistics, security etc.
• ? Workshop will identify applications and
  prioritise them

7
Thematic Workshop 2 RFID Research and
Technological Trends

• Carry out a survey of the important technological
  trends (e.g. enhanced sensors, nonsilicon
  technologies)
• Summarise innovative applications brought by
  introducing Ambient Intelligence and Internet
  of Things concepts
• Including technological chellenges for software
  and networks
• Defining future requirements for collaborative
  research at EU level (FP 7, especially Ambient
  Intelligence)
• Analysing likely social, political and economic
  impact of the new technologies

8
Thematic Workshop 3 End-User / Consumer Issues
(Privacy)

• Adressing the possible need for revising the
  e-privacy directive in relation to RFID
• Ethical implications of RFID
• Acceptability of technological approaches to
  build trust
• Special focus on privacy and authentification
  (tag to reader, reader to tag, reader to network)
• Enhancing security (main concern when it comes to
  privacy)

9
Thematic Workshop 4 Interoperability /
Standardisation / IPR

• Discussion of interoperability issues and
  solutions
• Dealing with patents related to RFID
• Covering all levels of standardisation that play
  a role in facilitating the rollout of the
  technology
• Including governance models and processes for
  RFID technologies and related database systems
• Especially when objects of any kind are linked to
  a data source (Object Naming System, DNS, IPv6
  etc.)

10
Thematic Workshop 5 Frequency Spectrum
Requirements Status/Trends

• Addressing the need and availability of spectrum
  for RFID
• Defining a feasible implementation strategy for
  the UHF and HF RFID tags
• Identification of obstacles (technical, economic,
  political)
• Provision of wide support from Member States

11
What has been done so far?

• In January 2005 the Art. 29 Working Party
  published an opinion paper
• Working document on data protection issues
  related to RFID technology
• In September 2005 the Results were posted on the
  website (Results of the Public Consultation on
  Data Protection Issues Related to RFID
  Technology)
• Two opposed groups of stakeholders
• Most corporations and trade associations (exept
  industry that provides security solutions)
• Consumer associations, universities, think tanks
  arguing for better data protection

12
What does the European Parliament do?

• STOA (Scientific and Technical Options Assesment)
• Issued a study on RFID carried out by the
  Rathenau Institute in NL
• Panel decided on a workshop in May 06 (most
  probably 22 May)
• Panelists include
• EU Commission/ENISA
• Rathenau Institute
• Metro (Dr. Wolfram)
• Philips (Terstegge)
• RFID Info Forum (Dr. Huber)
• Consultancies/Academia

13
What can we learn from Software Patents?

• NGO Society
• Emotions are stronger than arguments
• Industry should not overestimate its role (e.g.
  REACH)
• EU Commissioner set things very clear Let me be
  clear I will not see the liberty of citizens
  their fundamental rights being compromised.
• Involve the civil society use positive examples
  (Football Championship)
• If citizens are convinced about the advantages
  they would accept impact on privacy (e.g. GSM)

14
What to do now?

• Cebit caused a broad public interest
• EP will be on board after the Communication by
  the Commission end of 2006
• But once the Communication is drafted, changes
  are more difficult to achieve
• Take the privacy issue seriously into account
  the earlier the better
• ? Involve Politicians on all levels now!