War on cyber crime and bid to boost internet shopping

The European Commission is preparing recommendations for member states on how to battle mounting cyber crime, which Spanish police have targeted with a centre in the Balearics, and counter consumer reluctance to shop online. The recommendations, which will be released on December 21 are aimed at boosting confidence in the internet in Europe According to EU spokesman Per Haugaard, a main aim will be to establish better links among the 15 EU members to enable them to react more swiftly to issues involving security on the internet. He said that it was vital to raise awareness, among consumers and businesses alike, on how to fend off outside attacks and privacy violations. “We will present a set of recommendations on how to prevent computer crime and the tools available for that,” said Haugaard. The proposals are in line with a proposed convention on cyber crime that is being prepared by the European Council, consisting of 41 nations. According to research published by PriceWaterhouseCoopers earlier this week, Europeans are particularly cautious when it comes to conducting business on the internet. The report - which found that 75% of consumers are generally unwilling to disclose their credit card details online - suggested that tighter laws and regulations will go only part way in improving internet confidence.