International Telecom

摘要

A U.K. government commitment to impose new export controls on telecom equipment that couldnbe used for Internet censorship and surveillance is welcome but the process is too drawn-out, Privacy Internationalnsaid Friday. In a December report (http://xrl.us/bobcyb), Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committeenrecommended that the U.K. "set out the scope for controlling the supply by UK nationals, or byncompanies based in the UK, of telecommunications equipment for which there is a reasonable expectationnthat it might be used to restrict freedom of expression on the internet." In response, Foreign SecretarynWilliam Hague said the kind of equipment referred to may already be subject to export control, for example,nif it contains encryption technology as specified in the EU dual-use regulation, under which controllednitems aren't allowed to leave EU customs territory without an export authorization. All applications fornexport license for such equipment are assessed case-by-case against EU and national arms export licensingncriteria, he said. The EU has also adopted additional measures in the context of sanctions against Iran andnSyria, he said. Where this type of equipment isn't currently subject to control, the government is committednto working with international partners to agree on a specific list of goods, software and technology, hensaid. "In our view an internationally agreed and implemented list is the most effective and efficient meansnof controlling exports of concern. Given the evolving nature of these technologies and the very technicalnnature of these discussions," the work is expected to continue this year, he said. "This is another step towardsnensuring that British technologies are not used in the violation of human rights abroad," said PInHead of Research Eric King. But by choosing long-drawn international accords over swift action at thennational level, "the government is passing the buck," he said. The "Secretary of State for Business Innovationnand Skills has the power to stop these exports tomorrow — so why isn't he using it?"