Brussels, 10/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - While the European Parliament is preparing to undertake the second reading of the proposal modifying the 1997 Directive on data protection in the field of electronic communications (Cappato report), the Statewatch association reveals in a press release that certain Member States are "secretly" preparing a draft binding decision aiming to ensure that all EU Member States introduce into their legislation the obligation to retain data relating to telecommunications traffic and guarantee access to the police, customs and immigration services, as well as to internal security agencies. Statewatch feels that by beginning this move before the end of the legislative process on the proposal relating to the protection of data, these Member States pay little heed to the European Parliament. In fact, contrary to the Council, the Parliament would like for the retention of data and access to it to be limited to cases where national security is in play or to answer the needs of criminal investigations, and that retention and access be authorised on a case-by-case basis by the judicial authorities.