The European Union is split over how to introduce a law requiring the storage of phone and Internet usage records to help fight terrorism in the wake of last week's London bombings, an EU official said today.
The executive European Commission is drafting a proposal to harmonize the rules for storing telephone, mobile and e-mail records across the 25-nation bloc, but Britain is promoting a separate initiative on the same issue.

The commission's proposal could take up to three years because it would require the assent of the European Parliament, which is particularly sensitive to civil rights concerns and more open to lobbying by telecommunications companies. A quick deal among member governments would be open to less public scrutiny and compliance would be policed only nationally.

The commission says it is seeking to balance the needs of security and crime fighting against privacy concerns over handing data to the police and the cost to telecom companies of storing customer records.