A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides for consumer
protection agencies in each country to share information,
co-operate in detecting and investigating spam violations,
co-operate in tracking spammers, exchange evidence, facilitate law
enforcement against spam violators, and co-ordinate enforcement
against cross-border spam violations.
The MoU also provides for the agencies to promote wide attendance
at a meeting in London, planned for October 2004, that will gather
spam law enforcement authorities from around the world to discuss
spam enforcement issues.
"Illegal spam does not respect national boundaries," said
Timothy Muris, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. "This
agreement is an important next step to help law enforcers on three
continents leverage resources to combat illegal spam."
"It's not going to solve spam overnight but it reinforces our
determination to tackle it with a combination of industry
initiatives, technical solutions and user awareness," added UK
Communications Minister Stephen Timms.
Some spam that would otherwise be legal in the US will be caught
by the MoU because it is unlawful in the UK. The MoU does not
attempt a new definition of unlawful spam; instead, it references
the main anti-spam laws of each participating country.
The agencies involved are the Federal Trade Commission, the UK's
Office of Fair Trading, Information Commissioner and Secretary of
State for Trade and Industry, the Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission, and the Australian Communications
Authority.
