Greece: DP a priority for 2014 EU Presidency, legal wrangle at the EU Council

As we wait to see whether there will be any progress made by the end of the year, Greece, which will hold the next presidency of the EU, January to June 2014, has announced that it will ensure that data protection is high up on the agenda.

On the other hand, at the EU Council of Ministers / Justice and Home Affairs meeting on 5-6 December, it transpired that the one-stop-shop idea is in trouble. Although the Council already expressed its general support for the concept in October, its legal team have now advised that the model would work for data controllers at the expense of individuals who could have difficulties in enforcing their rights. This would not be acceptable on human rights grounds. The EU Commission’s legal expert disagreed.

The Legal Service of the Council will now conduct some further technical work, also to consider whether the European Data Protection Board could, in some cases, be granted the power to adopt binding decisions regarding corrective measures.