Sorry for this non-technical mail, but I guess the "damocles sword" of data retention is quite an issue for all ISPs.
I would like to draw your attention to a unique international panel on data retention, which takes place before the annual International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Montreux.
You can also propose a speaker from your organisation for the panel, which could ensure the ISP's voice is heard too. If you are interested, reply soon to Daniel Boos of SIUG (daniel.boos /at\ siug.ch).
The panel on data retention is during the afternoon of 13 September in the Montreux Conference Center and is organised jointly by European Digital Rights (EDRI), Swiss Internet User Group (SIUG), Communica-ch, Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC) and others. A few well known international speakers participate at the panel: 1. Data retention (14:30-16:00) Speakers: - Cédric Laurant (Electronic Privacy Information Center, Washington D.C.) (confirmed) - Peter Swire (Ohio State University) - Hielke Hijmans (Principal Administrator, Office of the European Data Protection Supervisor) (confirmed) - Karel Neuwirt (former Commissioner, Czech Republic) (invited) Moderator: Ralf Bendrath (EDRI; University of Bremen) (confirmed)
An invitation text in german and french has been distributed over the SIUG-Announce mailinglist: https://your.trash.net/pipermail/siug-announce/2005-September/000121.html
English information is on the EDRI homepage: http://www.edri.org/panels
A second panel on biometrics follows right after the panel on data retention, but is probably of less interest to this list.
Cheers, Felix