The “Big Brother Law”
The law no. 82/2012 regarding the retention of general data or data processed by the electronic communications public networks providers and electronic communications for public use providers was published in the Official Gazette no. 406/2012 [in Romanian, LEGE nr. 82 din 13 iunie 2012 privind retinerea datelor generate sau prelucrate de furnizorii de retele publice de comunicatii electronice si de furnizorii de servicii de comunicatii electronice destinate publicului, precum si pentru modificarea si completarea Legii nr. 506/2004 privind prelucrarea datelor cu caracter personal si protectia vietii private in sectorul comunicatiilor electronice].
The law sets forth that all providers of public electronic communications networks and providers of electronic communications must retain all data concerned by the law, for a period of six months. Also, the providers must communicate such data, upon request, to the institutions in the national safety field. This information may be used for preventing and investigating serious crimes, for searching of missing persons, and for arrest proceedings.
The law transposes the provisions of Directive 2006/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks and amending Directive 2002/58/EC.