The European Commission released a set of technical...

The European Commission released a set of technical standards to help users of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) smart chips comply with EU data protection standards, said an EC news release Wednesday (http://bit.ly/1kma0B8). RFID tags are often used on electronic travel passes, clothes and supermarket items, the EC said. The new guidelines require an RFID sign to be present if the chips are in use. They also will require users of RFID chips to “give consumers clear and simple information so that they understand if their personal data will be used, the type of collected data (such as name, address or date of birth, for example when registering for a travel subscription card) and for what purpose,” the EC said. “Smart tags and systems are part of everyday life now, they simplify systems and boost our economy,” said EC Vice President Neelie Kroes. “But it is important to have standards in place which ensure those benefits do not come at a cost to data protection and security of personal data."