UK delays enforcing new EU privacy law on cookies

But privacy watchdog the ICO urges businesses to take the new legislation seriously...

UK websites that breach new EU legislation by failing to get consent before using cookies to store or access information on consumers' computers will escape sanctions in the short term.

The new law comes into effect on 25 May in the form of an amendment to the EU's Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive.

However, communications minister Ed Vaizey said the government does not expect UK privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office "to take enforcement action in the short term against businesses and organisations" that fail to comply.

The UK government has advised the ICO not to enforce a new EU privacy law in the short termPhoto: Shutterstock

Nevertheless, the ICO has issued a statement urging businesses to take the new legislation seriously. "The Directive will come into force in less than two months' time and businesses and organisations running websites in the UK must wake up to the fact that this is happening," said information commissioner Christopher Graham.

He added that the new law will "have positive benefits as it will give people more choice and control over what information businesses and other organisations can store on and access from consumers' own computers".

Comms minister Vaizey said while businesses need to work to address the way they use cookies, "work will not be complete by the implementation deadline".

Vaizey cited the potential for the new law to "make using the internet more difficult" as a reason for the delay in enforcement. He added: "The government is clear that it will take time for meaningful solutions to be developed, evaluated and rolled out".

The UK has been criticised in the past by the European Commission for not having adequate communications privacy legislation set in place.