France to reconsider its cryptography laws

Liberation is reporting that the French Finance minister, Dominique Strauss-Khan, wants to allow anybody in France to use strong encryption. The official french assizes journal states that this liberalisation of France's currently very strict law should occur in the next few days. Until 1996 one had to ask permission to use any form of encryption, or pay a 6000-500000 FF fine with 2-6 months of prison if found out. Currently encryption that the french authorities can break is legal, but this is not secure enough to encourage e-commerce. (translation)