Orientation of proposal

In every country, and at European level, legislations should be set up aimed at :
  to guarantee that decent working conditions are maintained, by taking into account the changes brought about by computerisation, Internet use, the development of e-commerce, the spread of telecommuting, etc. ;
  and prohibit all monitoring of employees without their knowledge and any direct or indirect practice aimed at collecting information on their behaviour and centres of interest (e.g. reading employees’ email) ;

 Extending the principle of secrecy related to private correspondence to employees’ email.

Context

The massive introduction of ICTs in production activities should not be used as a pretext for setting back the social clock. In particular, legislation such as that adopted in the United Kingdom in 2000 which permits employers to read the employees’ email should be declared contrary to the European Convention of Basic Human Rights (article 8. The right to respect of private and family life).