14
May
2007
Verification of telephone bills - Ombudsman
Opinion of 14 May 2007 on a notification for prior checking on verification of telephone bills (Case 2007-137)
The telephones used by staff members of the European Ombudsman may only be used for professional purposes. Private use is not permitted. When the costs linked to a certain extension number exceed the 50€ limit, a verification procedure is initiated. It commences with an interview with the staff member concerned. He/she is invited to justify the costs and show that they were linked to his/her official tasks. If this is established, the verification procedure comes to an end. If, however, the costs are stemming from private use, the staff member will be reminded that private use is not permitted and may even face disciplinary procedure.
In his opinion the EDPS basically approved the procedure as foreseen by the European Ombudsman. Nevertheless, he recommended that specific rules should be drawn up on the procedure which would - along with Article 37 of the Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 - constitute a more concrete legal basis for the processing. Further recommendations were made concerning the information to be given to the data subjects and on the retention period of traffic and billing data.
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