"Coronavirus: An EU approach for efficient contact tracing apps to support gradual lifting of confinement measures", 16 April 2020

EU Members States, supported by the Commission, have developed an EU toolbox for the use of mobile applications for contact tracing and warning in response to the coronavirus pandemic...

Today's announcement is the first iteration of a common EU toolbox, developed urgently and collaboratively by the e-Health Network with the support of the European Commission. It provides a practical guide for Member States in the implementation of contact tracing and warning apps. The toolbox sets out the essential requirements for these apps:

- They should be fully compliant with the EU data protection and privacy rules...

- They should be installed voluntarily...

- They should aim to exploit the latest privacy-enhancing technological solutions. Likely to be based on Bluetooth proximity technology, they do not enable tracking of people's locations.

- They should be based on anonymised data...

- They should be anchored in accepted epidemiological guidance, and reflect best practice on cybersecurity, and accessibility...