Exactly one year after launching an extensive Europe-wide public consultation on radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, the European Commission has unveiled its proposals for an RFID strategy for Europe. In particular it proposes to address the privacy concerns of citizens to boost consumer confidence and Europe's position in a market experiencing 60 per cent growth globally.
RFID, also called smart radio tags, is a technology which involves tags that emit radio signals as identifiers, and devices that pick up the signal and identify the tags. It has a wide range of applications and does not require direct contact or line-of-sight scanning.
The economic potential of smart radio tags can hardly be underestimated. In 2006 alone over one billion RFID tags were sold worldwide and by 2016 it might be over 500 times this number. The European market is estimated to grow from €500 million in 2006 to seven billion euros by 2016. Europe is also a leading international player for RFID research and development, and its industry is strongly placed. However, awareness about the potential of smart radio tags is low. About 60 per cent of the 2190 respondents to the Commission's public consultation in 2006 said they did not know enough to adequately assess the pros and cons of RFID technology. Of those who are aware, 70 per cent believed that technical solutions were the best way to reduce security, data protection and privacy concerns, 67 per cent expressed their support for awareness-raising campaigns to educate consumers, and 55 per cent called for RFID regulations.
To enhance Europe's ability to reap the economic and social benefits of RFID technology, while answering consumer concerns, the Commission published its RFID communication. The Commission will, amongst others, in the coming months create an RFID stakeholder group to provide advice and assistance to the Commission in developing a European policy position concerning RFID applications; propose amendments to the e-Privacy Directive to take account of RFID applications, as part of the EU Telecom Rules' review; publish a recommendation on how to handle data security and privacy of smart radio tags to member states and stakeholders; and in association with the stakeholder group analyse the economic and social effects of smart radio tags and other technologies, particularly focusing on privacy, trust and governance, leading to an assessment of policy options and need for further legislative steps, by the end of 2008.
The communication also highlights where the Commission wants to ensure that further development and deployment of smart radio tags are as safe, secure, privacy-friendly and effective as possible. This includes looking at research and innovation, the availability of radio spectrum, standardisation, environmental and health issues, and also ensuring that digital identities are well protected against abuse in the emerging internet of things where the many things around us will be communicating with each other without interaction from us.
More information at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/rfid/
RFID, also called smart radio tags, is a technology which involves tags that emit radio signals as identifiers, and devices that pick up the signal and identify the tags. It has a wide range of applications and does not require direct contact or line-of-sight scanning.
The economic potential of smart radio tags can hardly be underestimated. In 2006 alone over one billion RFID tags were sold worldwide and by 2016 it might be over 500 times this number. The European market is estimated to grow from €500 million in 2006 to seven billion euros by 2016. Europe is also a leading international player for RFID research and development, and its industry is strongly placed. However, awareness about the potential of smart radio tags is low. About 60 per cent of the 2190 respondents to the Commission's public consultation in 2006 said they did not know enough to adequately assess the pros and cons of RFID technology. Of those who are aware, 70 per cent believed that technical solutions were the best way to reduce security, data protection and privacy concerns, 67 per cent expressed their support for awareness-raising campaigns to educate consumers, and 55 per cent called for RFID regulations.
To enhance Europe's ability to reap the economic and social benefits of RFID technology, while answering consumer concerns, the Commission published its RFID communication. The Commission will, amongst others, in the coming months create an RFID stakeholder group to provide advice and assistance to the Commission in developing a European policy position concerning RFID applications; propose amendments to the e-Privacy Directive to take account of RFID applications, as part of the EU Telecom Rules' review; publish a recommendation on how to handle data security and privacy of smart radio tags to member states and stakeholders; and in association with the stakeholder group analyse the economic and social effects of smart radio tags and other technologies, particularly focusing on privacy, trust and governance, leading to an assessment of policy options and need for further legislative steps, by the end of 2008.
The communication also highlights where the Commission wants to ensure that further development and deployment of smart radio tags are as safe, secure, privacy-friendly and effective as possible. This includes looking at research and innovation, the availability of radio spectrum, standardisation, environmental and health issues, and also ensuring that digital identities are well protected against abuse in the emerging internet of things where the many things around us will be communicating with each other without interaction from us.
More information at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/rfid/