Cloud computing standards need to aid data portability

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The standards of cloud computing systems being developed within the European Union (EU) need to make it easier for users to transfer data between cloud providers, MEPs have argued.

A new resolution on cloud computing, which was drawn up in response to actions by the European Commission as part of its cloud computing strategy, has been backed by the European Parliament.

The Commission was mainly engaged with European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) in order to establish what standards are now required from the way in which cloud services work.

These may relate to data security, interoperability and data portability.

And in its latest resolution, MEPs added that the standards created "should enable easy and complete data and service portability, and a high degree of interoperability between cloud services, in order to increase rather than limit competitiveness".

It also said that cloud providers should be seen as 'data controllers' under EU data protection laws.

MEPs also took the opportunity to call on the Commission to clarify clear laws on how copyright applies in the context of the cloud, claiming that all rights holders should enjoy "fair compensation for the use of their work" in such situations.

However, it has also questioned as to whether it was appropriate to impose levies on services to account for private copying.

It urged the Commission to "investigate the different types of cloud computing services, how the cloud storage of copyrighted works affects the royalties systems and, more specifically, the ways in which private copying levies that are relevant for certain types of cloud computing services are imposed."

The concept of data security has become something of a hot topic among many experts, businesses and consumers alike on the back of the revelations that US had allegedly surveyed the data stored by major US technology companies, including cloud providers.

It has also called on the Commission to set conditions under which cloud data may be accessed for law enforcement purposes, in compliance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and with EU law.

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”. Cloud computing standards need to aid data portability. December 19, 2013. Storetec.