Believers in Human Freedom and the Rights Of Individuals

Staff Forum of 17.12.2007.

"One of the technologies promoted as part of the Lisbon Process is Radio Frequency Identification, RFID for short. RFID chips send out unique, identifying, radio messages. They have been shrunk down to the size of a grain of rice. The scanners that pick up the RFID signals now are the size of mobile phones and cost 500+ EUROs.

Are there any circumstances at all under which RFID chips should be imposed on sane, adult human beings without their prior, informed, freely given consent?

Are there plans to use RFID on Commission staff?"

Answer from Jose Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission)

"... About radio frequency identification, first of all I was looking to Vice President Kallas who is with me, and I am not aware of any plans to have this control of the civil servants of the Commission...

... You know on that point I and Siim Kallas, we are really believers in human freedom and the rights of individuals. You know I am very much for that, I am against control ... I think of the autonomy of every human being ... as a great value in itself ... it is at the core of European values ....

.... Regarding the issue of using these in human beings, indeed this is a question that has been discussed, we are discussing it ... for health purposes also in some kind for security purposes. There is a debate, I participated already in that debate in the Commission. There is the European Group on Ethics in Science and Technology , created by European Commission... "

Commentary:
Of course SID is glad to receive this answer and, for once, we agree with the President. Just to make sure that everything is alright and that it remains that way, we are pursuing the RFID issue a little further via the legal route of Regulation 1049 (2001) inquiry and through other channels.
Ref: mms://stream.scic.cec.eu.int/archives/admin/071217/day1or-1.wmv

ESTAT Annual General Assembly - 17 Jan 2008
On the occasion of ESTAT Annual General Assembly - 17 Jan 2008 - Mr Carre, Director General, in the presence of Mr Almunia - Commissioner responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs - responded to a question on the use of RFID in personnel cards put to him by Mr Ashbrook that "...there is no plan to introduce RFID based personnel cards in ESTAT...

Best Regards,
Secretariat of SID
SID - Solidarity, Independence, Democracy