Open letter to European member states on the ePrivacy reform
![Open letter to European member states on the ePrivacy reform](/sites/default/files/flysystem/styles/middle_column_cropped_small_1x/local-default/2018-03/Screen%20Shot%202018-03-27%20at%2016.26.40_2.png?itok=pkLMte9B)
Today Privacy International together with 27 other organisations from across Europe urge European governments to strengthen the protection of privacy and security of online communications. The proposal to reform e-privacy in Europe was launched in January 2017. However, despite the clear and urgent need of this reform, recently demonstrated by the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica case, the negotiations by EU member states have been inconclusive. Worse still, some governments seem willing to prioritise the narrow business interests of, ultimately, a small number of major online companies over fundamental rights of individuals and trust to the European online economy as a whole.
Civil society organisations in Europe thus call on Member States to: Prioritise the finalisation of their position so that negotiations can begin with the European Parliament with the view of an adoption of a strong ePrivacy Regulation by end of 2018 that aligns with and strengthens the protections foreseen in the General Data Protection Regulation, including by supporting a provision that ensures privacy by design and by default in both software and hardware.