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As last captured

Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 ·

7 Restrictions on the processing of certain traffic data

reg. 7 · in force: yes

Captured statutory text (L5)

7 Restrictions on the processing of certain traffic data

(1)Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), traffic data relating to subscribers or users which are processed and stored by a public communications provider shall, when no longer required for the purpose of the transmission of a communication, be—
(a)erased;
(b)in the case of an individual, modified so that they cease to constitute personal data of that subscriber or user; or
(c)in the case of a corporate subscriber, modified so that they cease to be data that would be personal data if that subscriber was an individual.
(2)Traffic data held by a public communications provider for purposes connected with the payment of charges by a subscriber or in respect of interconnection payments may be processed and stored by that provider until the time specified in paragraph (5).
(3)Traffic data relating to a subscriber or user may be processed and stored by a provider of a public electronic communications service if—
(a)such processing and storage are for the purpose of marketing electronic communications services, or for the provision of value added services to that subscriber or user; and
(b)the subscriber or user to whom the traffic data relate has previously notified the provider that he consents to such processing or storage; and
(c)such processing and storage are undertaken only for the duration necessary for the purposes specified in subparagraph (a).
(4)Where a user or subscriber has given his consent in accordance with paragraph (3), he shall be able to withdraw it at any time.
(5)The time referred to in paragraph (2) is the end of the period during which legal proceedings may be brought in respect of payments due or alleged to be due or, where such proceedings are brought within that period, the time when those proceedings are finally determined.
(6)Legal proceedings shall not be taken to be finally determined—
(a)until the conclusion of the ordinary period during which an appeal may be brought by either party (excluding any possibility of an extension of that period, whether by order of a court or otherwise), if no appeal is brought within that period; or
(b)if an appeal is brought, until the conclusion of that appeal.
(7)References in paragraph (6) to an appeal include references to an application for permission to appeal.
Full captured verbatim text
(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), traffic data relating to subscribers or users which are processed and stored by a public communications provider shall, when no longer required for the purpose of the transmission of a communication, be—

(a) erased;

(b) in the case of an individual, modified so that they cease to constitute personal data of that subscriber or user; or

(c) in the case of a corporate subscriber, modified so that they cease to be data that would be personal data if that subscriber was an individual.

(2) Traffic data held by a public communications provider for purposes connected with the payment of charges by a subscriber or in respect of interconnection payments may be processed and stored by that provider until the time specified in paragraph (5).

(3) Traffic data relating to a subscriber or user may be processed and stored by a provider of a public electronic communications service if—

(a) such processing and storage are for the purpose of marketing electronic communications services, or for the provision of value added services to that subscriber or user; and

(b) the subscriber or user to whom the traffic data relate has previously notified the provider that he consents to such processing or storage; and

(c) such processing and storage are undertaken only for the duration necessary for the purposes specified in subparagraph (a).

(4) Where a user or subscriber has given his consent in accordance with paragraph (3), he shall be able to withdraw it at any time.

(5) The time referred to in paragraph (2) is the end of the period during which legal proceedings may be brought in respect of payments due or alleged to be due or, where such proceedings are brought within that period, the time when those proceedings are finally determined.

(6) Legal proceedings shall not be taken to be finally determined—

(a) until the conclusion of the ordinary period during which an appeal may be brought by either party (excluding any possibility of an extension of that period, whether by order of a court or otherwise), if no appeal is brought within that period; or

(b) if an appeal is brought, until the conclusion of that appeal.

(7) References in paragraph (6) to an appeal include references to an application for permission to appeal.

What this provision means

Model summary, checked against the text on the left.

Relevance to Signicat: 3/3 · detailed summary (L4) Status: not needed for a short provision · Stored artifact; current recipe verification unavailable

Public communications providers must erase or anonymise traffic data unless retained for billing or marketing with consent.

Only the one-line summary above is stored for this provision; the text itself is the evidence.

Refers to

No captured references.

Referred to by

cross-reference internal_cite · reg. 16A

cross-reference internal_cite · reg. 8

cross-reference internal_cite · Sch. 1 para. 18

Part summaries

0 of 0 parts have a verified summary.

L1 unavailable for current verification: the overall summary needs every part verified. Provisions and the verified summaries remain readable.

Verification findings (102)

synthesis coverage: missing/unverified L2 main

synthesis coverage: missing evaluation uk:uksi/2003/2426#regulation-1

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Instrument tier unavailable

Change history as published

Reg. 5B omitted (5.2.2026) by virtue of Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 115(3), 142(1); S.I. 2026/82, reg. 2(y) (with regs. 8-11)

Reg. 31A omitted (5.2.2026) by virtue of Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 115(6), 142(1); S.I. 2026/82, reg. 2(y) (with regs. 8-11)

Reg. 31B omitted (5.2.2026) by virtue of Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 115(7), 142(1); S.I. 2026/82, reg. 2(y) (with regs. 8-11)

Pending effects amendments not yet applied to this text

reg. 33 words substituted by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 Sch. 3 para. 6(6)(b)(ii) · Effective date unknown · reg. 33

reg. 33 word substituted by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 Sch. 3 para. 6(6)(c) · Effective date unknown · reg. 33

Provenance

Every claim the system makes about this text is traceable to these identifiers.

Instrument
uk:uksi/2003/2426
Part
Version
d0dbd86454c94cdf82f0218b…
Content hash
sha256 c795e4b7832bbe47923713fb…
Source
legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2426