YNOT EUROPE – A bill presented to lawmakers Thursday may bring Sweden into line with European Union data retention rules, but it will do so at the cost of personal privacy, according to critics.

The bill would require telephone companies and internet service providers to retain telephone calls, text messages, email and other internet traffic for six months in case any of the data is needed as part of a criminal investigation.

Six months is the shortest retention period allowed under the controversial EU Data Retention Directive, an international attempt to curtail terrorism and serious crime. The EU adopted the directive in March 2006, in response to the Madrid terror attacks of 2004. Violent debate across the EU erupted immediately, as many countries believe the act’s requirements violate civil liberties and encourage the development of “surveillance states.”

Germany and Romania have rejected the directive, the former calling its proscriptions unconstitutional and the latter saying the directive violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The EU Court of Justice in February convicted Sweden of failing to comply.

If passed into law, Sweden’s proposed law would take effect July 1, 2011. Justice Minister Beatrice Ask, who presented the bill, told the media it incorporates safeguards to ensure the data retained by ISP may be disclosed only for “crime-fighting purposes” and indicated only serious crimes and terrorism would trigger the law’s provisions. However, a draft leaked in October indicated authorities could request ISPs hand over information about their customers even in the case of crimes that are not punishable by jail time.