Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >X-Mailer: ccMail Link to SMTP R8.20.00.25 >Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 14:59:06 -0500 >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Fwd:The Maginot Line of Encryption Falls > > >Declan -- > >A note I recently sent to clients. > >Stewart > > >From: Stewart Baker ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > > >The rumors that we reported earlier are true. The French Government has >abandoned its effort to control domestic use of encryption. > >In an announcement made today by Prime Minister Jospin, the government announced >its decision to abandon most aspects of the encryption legislation adopted in >1996. This legislation created a licensing scheme for import and use of >encryption and required the use of key escrow for all products containing strong >encryption. That approach has now been scrapped. > >Jospin announced that his administration would send forward proposed legislation >allowing complete freedom in the use of all cryptography, abolishing the >requirement to use trusted third parties, and providing instead increase funding >for the police, combined with enhanced authority to demand plaintext in the >course of an investigation. > >Jospin went further in his announcement. Recognizing that it would take several >months to modify the legislation, he announced that the level for free use of >encryption inside France would be raised administratively from the current >40-bit level to 128 bits. It appears that this change will take place almost >immediately. > >We're seeking details about how companies that wish to sell stronger encryption >inside France may be assured of their legal status and will report further as we >get the information. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- the moderated mailing list of politics and technology To subscribe: send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with this text: subscribe politech More information is at http://www.well.com/~declan/politech/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
