The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003

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"communications provider" has the meaning given by section 405 of the Communications Act 2003[3];

"corporate subscriber" means a subscriber who is - 

(a) a company within the meaning of section 735(1) of the Companies Act 1985[4];

(b) a company incorporated in pursuance of a royal charter or letters patent;

(c) a partnership in Scotland;

(d) a corporation sole; or

(e) any other body corporate or entity which is a legal person distinct from its members;

"the Directive" means Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (Directive on privacy and electronic communications)[5];

"electronic communications network" has the meaning given by section 32 of the Communications Act 2003[6];

"electronic communications service" has the meaning given by section 32 of the Communications Act 2003;

"electronic mail" means any text, voice, sound or image message sent over a public electronic communications network which can be stored in the network or in the recipient's terminal equipment until it is collected by the recipient and includes messages sent using a short message service;

"enactment" includes an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament;

"individual" means a living individual and includes an unincorporated body of such individuals;

"the Information Commissioner" and "the Commissioner" both mean the Commissioner appointed under section 6 of the Data Protection Act 1998[7];

"information society service" has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) of the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002[8];

"location data" means any data processed in an electronic communications network indicating the geographical position of the terminal equipment of a user of a public electronic communications service, including data relating to - 

(f) the latitude, longitude or altitude of the terminal equipment;

(g) the direction of travel of the user; or

(h) the time the location information was recorded;

"OFCOM" means the Office of Communications as established by section 1 of the Office of Communications Act 2002[9];

"programme service" has the meaning given in section 201 of the Broadcasting Act 1990[10];

"public communications provider" means a provider of a public electronic communications network or a public electronic communications service;

"public electronic communications network" has the meaning given in section 151 of the Communications Act 2003[11];

"public electronic communications service" has the meaning given in section 151 of the Communications Act 2003;

"subscriber" means a person who is a party to a contract with a provider of public electronic communications services for the supply of such services;

"traffic data" means any data processed for the purpose of the conveyance of a communication on an electronic communications network or for the billing in respect of that communication and includes data relating to the routing, duration or time of a communication;

"user" means any individual using a public electronic communications service; and

"value added service" means any service which requires the processing of traffic data or location data beyond that which is necessary for the transmission of a communication or the billing in respect of that communication.

    (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 - 

(a) the nature of that risk;

(b) any appropriate measures that the subscriber may take to safeguard against that risk; and

(c) the likely costs to the subscriber involved in the taking of such measures.

    (4) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a measure shall only be taken to be appropriate if, having regard to - 

(a) the state of technological developments, and

(b) the cost of implementing it,

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 - 

(a) is provided with clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of the storage of, or access to, that information; and

(b) is given the opportunity to refuse the storage of or access to that information.

    (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 - 

(a) for the sole purpose of carrying out or facilitating the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network; or

(b) where such storage or access is strictly necessary for the provision of an information society service requested by the subscriber or user.

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 - 

(a) erased;

(b) in the case of an individual, modified so that they cease to constitute personal data of that subscriber or user; or

(c) in the case of a corporate subscriber, modified so that they cease to be data that would be personal data if that subscriber was an individual.

    (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 - 

(a) such processing and storage are for the purpose of marketing electronic communications services, or for the provision of value added services to that subscriber or user; and

(b) the subscriber or user to whom the traffic data relate has given his consent to such processing or storage; and

(c) such processing and storage are undertaken only for the duration necessary for the purposes specified in subparagraph (a).

    (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 - 

(a) until the conclusion of the ordinary period during which an appeal may be brought by either party (excluding any possibility of an extension of that period, whether by order of a court or otherwise), if no appeal is brought within that period; or

(b) if an appeal is brought, until the conclusion of that appeal.

    (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 - 

(a) the management of billing or traffic;

(b) customer enquiries;

(c) the prevention or detection of fraud;

(d) the marketing of electronic communications services; or

(e) the provision of a value added service.

    (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 - 

(a) where that user or subscriber cannot be identified from such data; or

(b) where necessary for the provision of a value added service, with the consent of that user or subscriber.

    (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 - 

(a) the types of location data that will be processed;

(b) the purposes and duration of the processing of those data; and

(c) whether the data will be transmitted to a third party for the purpose of providing the value added service.

    (4) A user or subscriber who has given his consent to the processing of data under paragraph (2)(b) shall - 

(a) be able to withdraw such consent at any time, and

(b) in respect of each connection to the public electronic communications network in question or each transmission of a communication, be given the opportunity to withdraw such consent, using a simple means and free of charge.

    (5) Processing of location data in accordance with this regulation shall - 

(a) only be carried out by - 


(i) the public communications provider in question;

(ii) the third party providing the value added service in question; or

(iii) a person acting under the authority of a person falling within (i) or (ii); and



(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 - 

(a) a subscriber has requested the tracing of malicious or nuisance calls received on his line; and

(b) the provider is satisfied that such action is necessary and expedient for the purposes of tracing such calls.

    (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 - 

(a) all such calls shall be excluded from the requirements of regulation 10;

(b) no person shall be entitled to prevent the presentation on the connected line of the identity of the calling line; and

(c) the restriction on the processing of location data under regulation 14(2) shall be disregarded.

Termination of automatic call forwarding
     17.  - (1) Where - 

(a) calls originally directed to another line are being automatically forwarded to a subscriber's line as a result of action taken by a third party, and

(b) the subscriber requests his provider of electronic communications services ("the subscriber's provider") to stop the forwarding of those calls,

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 - 

(a) informed by the collector of the personal data of the purposes of the directory in which his personal data are to be included, and

(b) given the opportunity to determine whether such of his personal data as are considered relevant by the producer of the directory should be included in the directory.

    (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 - 

(a) the information to be provided under paragraph (2)(a) shall include information about those facilities; and

(b) for the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), the express consent of the subscriber to the inclusion of his data in a directory with such facilities must be obtained.

    (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 - 

(a) automatically initiating a sequence of calls to more than one destination in accordance with instructions stored in that system; and

(b) transmitting sounds which are not live speech for reception by persons at some or all of the destinations so called.

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 - 

(a) an individual subscriber, except in the circumstances referred to in paragraph (2);

(b) a corporate subscriber who has previously notified the caller that such communications should not be sent on that line; or

(c) a subscriber and the number allocated to that line is listed in the register kept under regulation 25.

    (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 - 

(a) the subscriber shall be free to withdraw that notification at any time, and

(b) where such notification is withdrawn, the caller shall not send such communications on that line.

    (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 - 

(a) the called line is that of a subscriber who has previously notified the caller that such calls should not for the time being be made on that line; or

(b) the number allocated to a subscriber in respect of the called line is one listed in the register kept under regulation 26.

    (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 - 

(a) the subscriber shall be free to withdraw that notification at any time, and

(b) where such notification is withdrawn, the caller shall not make such calls on that line.

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 - 

(a) that person has obtained the contact details of the recipient of that electronic mail in the course of the sale or negotiations for the sale of a product or service to that recipient;

(b) the direct marketing is in respect of that person's similar products and services only; and

(c) the recipient has been given a simple means of refusing (free of charge except for the costs of the transmission of the refusal) the use of his contact details for the purposes of such direct marketing, at the time that the details were initially collected, and, where he did not initially refuse the use of the details, at the time of each subsequent communication.

    (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 - 

(a) where the identity of the person on whose behalf the communication has been sent has been disguised or concealed; or

(b) where a valid address to which the recipient of the communication may send a request that such communications cease has not been provided.

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 - 

(a) in relation to a communication to which regulations 19 (automated calling systems) and 20 (facsimile machines) apply, the particulars mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) and (b);

(b) in relation to a communication to which regulation 21 (telephone calls) applies, the particulars mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) and, if the recipient of the call so requests, those mentioned in paragraph (2)(b).

    (2) The particulars referred to in paragraph (1) are - 

(a) the name of the person;

(b) either the address of the person or a telephone number on which he can be reached free of charge.

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 - 

(a) a person wishing to send, or instigate the sending of, such communications as are mentioned in paragraph (1), or

(b) a subscriber wishing to permit the use of his line for the sending of such communications,

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 - 

(a) for making available information derived from the register in different forms or manners, or

(b) for making available information derived from the whole or from different parts of the register,

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 - 

(a) a person wishing to make, or instigate the making of, such calls as are mentioned in paragraph (1), or

(b) a subscriber wishing to permit the use of his line for the making of such calls,

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 - 

(a) for making available information derived from the register in different forms or manners, or

(b) for making available information derived from the whole or from different parts of the register,

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 - 

(a) "the Tribunal" means the Information Tribunal referred to in section 6 of the Data Protection Act 1998[15];

(b) Subsections (8), (9), (10) and (12) of section 28 of and Schedule 6 to that Act apply for the purposes of this regulation as they apply for the purposes of section 28;

(c) section 58 of that Act shall apply for the purposes of this regulation as if the reference in that section to the functions of the Tribunal under that Act included a reference to the functions of the Tribunal under paragraphs (4) to (7) of this regulation; and

(d) subsections (1), (2) and (5)(f) of section 67 of that Act shall apply in respect of the making of rules relating to the functions of the Tribunal under 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) - 

(a) if compliance with the requirement in question - 


(i) would be inconsistent with any requirement imposed by or under an enactment or by a court order; or

(ii) would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders; or



(b) if exemption from the requirement in question - 



(i) is required for the purposes of, or in connection with, any legal proceedings (including prospective legal proceedings);

(ii) is necessary for the purposes of obtaining legal advice; or

(iii) is otherwise necessary for the purposes of establishing, exercising or defending legal rights.

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 - 

    " (3) Conduct falling within paragraph (1)(a)(i) above is authorised only to the extent that Article 5 of Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector so permits.".

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] 1972 c. 68.back

[3] 2003 c. 21; for the commencement of section 405, see section 411(2) and (3) of the same Act.back

[4] 1985 c. 6.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

[8] S.I. 2002/2013.back

[9] 2002 c. 11.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

[12] S.I. 1999/2093.back

[13] S.I. 2000/157.back

[14] 2003 c. 21; for the commencement of section 56(5), see article 2(1) of S.I. 2003/1900 (C. 77).back

[15] 1998 c. 29.back

[16] S.I. 2000/2699.back

[17] S.I. 2003/1094.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