# EU privacy directive "disadvantages charities and non-profits"

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2003/12/01/eu-privacy-directive-quotdisadvantages-charities-and-nonprofitsquot/
- Published: 2003-12-01T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

This month’s NFP TECHNO explains how for-profit organisations have an advantage 
over charities and non-profits with regard to the European Privacy and Electronic
Communications Directive.
The Directive, which comes into force on 11 December 2003,
allows companies to take advantage of the “soft opt-in” opportunity. NFP TECHNO’s
editor Michael Webb explains: “this allows contact details obtained in the course
of a sale (or negotiations for a sale) to be used in the marketing of similar products
or services. This facility is not open to charities and other non-profit organisations
and places them at a disadvantage to commercial organisations.”

Webb’s article includes a helpful link to a 35-page guidance document on e-mail 
marketing.

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