Implementation of the ‘Cookie Directive’ in the UK

The so-called “Cookie Directive” 2009/136/EC came into force on the 26 May 2011 in the UK. The Cookie Directive makes a number of amendments to the Universal Services Directive (2002/22/EC), the Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive (2002/58/EC) (the ‘e-Privacy Directive’) and the Regulation on consumer protection co-operation between national regulatory authorities (2006/2004/EC).

The directive is referred to as the Cookie Directive because its most significant impact is to amend the e-Privacy Directive so that users of a website must consent to cookies being placed on their computers. A cookie is a piece of text stored on a user’s computer by the website operator or a third party, the purpose of which is to collect information.