Proposals on European Union DP Directive revision expected end of January 2012

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding confirmed on 7 November that the timetable for publishing proposals on the revision of the EU Data Protection Directive has been delayed, and proposals will be ready by the end of January 2012. Reding and Germany's Federal Minister for Consumer Protection, Ilse Aigner, issued the following statement after their meeting in Brussels:

"Data protection is highly relevant for consumers and businesses regardless of borders. It therefore needs to be addressed at the European level, through high, common European standards with global appeal. The Lisbon Treaty provides Europe with a unique opportunity to modernise and strengthen data protection rules now. We both believe that as a result of this reform process, consumers in Europe should see their data strongly protected, regardless of the EU country they live in and regardless of the country in which companies, which process their personal data, are established.

We both believe that companies who direct their services to European consumers should be subject to EU data protection laws. Otherwise, they should not be able to do business on our internal market. This also applies to social networks with users in the EU. We have to make sure that they comply with EU law and that EU law is enforced, even if it is based in a third country and even if its data are stored in a 'cloud'.

In modernising the EU's data protection rules, we believe that consumers must be more empowered than they are today. Users should be in control of their data. This is why in our view, EU law should require that consumers give their explicit consent before their data are used. And consumers generally should have the right to delete their data at any time, especially the data they post on the Internet themselves.

We will work closely together to make sure that the modernisation of the EU’s data protection rules addresses these issues and that the EU’s data privacy principles are turned into a reality for consumers and businesses everywhere in Europe."

The European Commission's Proposals for revising the EU Data Protection Directive: Developing a UK Response

Next year’s UK ICO Roundtable will take the form of a detailed discussion with Deputy Commissioner, David Smith on Tuesday, 14th February, soon after the announcement in late January of the proposals for revising the EU Data Protection Directive.

This Roundtable was sold out in 2010 and 2011 so register early to guarantee your place.

Host: Norton Rose, London
Fee: Early Bird until 14th January £550. Standard fee: £650.
Current Privacy Officers Network members can attend using one meeting off their membership.