EU to pave way for deployment of smart tags

From Euractiv.com

The French EU Presidency will today (6 October) hold a high-level conference dedicated to building the so-called 'Internet of Things'. The meeting comes as the Commission prepares to present measures aimed at overcoming privacy concerns related to the use of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) microchips that are expected to lead the technological revolution.

Brussels considers the creation of the 'Internet of Things' as a key priority as it could provide solutions for a wide range of societal problems, such as ageing populations.

In a future world where ubiquitous tags and sensors would be attached to everything from letters to walls or clothes, the Commission believes many things will be possible. "A blind person might see," said one information society expert at the EU executive.

Indeed, according to the 'Internet of Things' vision, objects could communicate among themselves, for instance allowing a blind person to walk down a street knowing exactly what is around him. "This would be done by using a tag reader, able to detect and read the information contained in tags disseminated everywhere," added the expert.

Elderly people could also benefit from household goods that anticipate their needs and requests, such a fridge which orders more eggs from the supermarket once they have run out, or clothes capable of constantly measuring key health indicators, like blood pressure or heartbeat.

However, the use of RFID chips also raises concerns regarding the privacy and security of carried information, as tags could contain personal details potentially exploitable by anyone equipped with a tag reader.

To address these concerns, the Commission will present, in November, a recommendation to member states encouraging them to adopt initial measures to make people more aware of the existence of RFID embedded in objects or rooms, and to avoid misuse of the new technology.
According to the upcoming recommendation, a draft of which has been circulating since April 2008 (EurActiv 26/02/08), all companies interested in using RFID, from airlines to retailers, will have to draw up a 'privacy impact assessment' to verify the potential privacy-related risks of the devices they are using.

What's more, retailers, such as Carrefour or Metro, will be required to de-activate any tags attached to items they sell once the buyer leaves their stores. However, retailers are already resisting such a measure for fear that it will push up their costs and act as a disincentive to the deployment of tags, EurActiv has learnt.

The Commission will also propose two harmonised logos to indicate the presence of RFID in products and tag-filled environments. Awareness-raising campaigns will also be organised and funding is envisaged for projects aimed at developing privacy and security-friendly tag designs.
But the RFID revolution still appears distant, hampered not only by privacy and security concerns but also by a lack of international standards. Technical skills are also lacking, with the software industry pointing out that Europe would be incapable of coping with massive deployment of RFID due to a lack of qualified engineers to deal with tags.

In September, the EU executive launched a public consultation on the "early challenges of the Internet of Things," which is expected to result in the publication of an official document in the second quarter of 2009.

For more, go to http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-pave-way-deployment-smart-tags/article-175998