Re: Gnus and Crypto stuff

[David Hedbor <david@hedbor.org>]

Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@peorth.gweep.net> writes:

> Hash: SHA1
> 
> "Hrvoje" == Hrvoje Niksic <hniksic@srce.hr> writes:
> 
> Hrvoje> On a different note: is the agreement retroactive?  I mean, are my
> Hrvoje> old programs suddenly unexportable?
> 
> Wassenaar is more or less 33 nations saying, "we think these are good
> ideas".  Compliance with Wassenaar is not mandatory for any of the
> signatory nations.  It is not law unless your government institutes
> Wassenaar or some variant into law.  AFAIK, no nation has yet done so.

This is unfortunately incorrect. For example Sweden has had strict
Crypto export laws since 1995 (from the first Wassenaar I
believe). Also ISP has imposed stronger restriction on export of Roxen 
than the law required due to a possible future stricter, US-friendly
law. I don't know the exact details, but Sweden is just as bad as the
US, if not worse.

Also Microsoft has been a strong force behind the new Wassenaar, since 
they want equal possibilities to sell crypto software outside of the US 
(of course non-US companies has a much harder time in the US because
of it). Anyway, http://www.roxen.com/crypto/ is a good place for more
information about the Swedish crypto situation.

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