In the hearing chaired by Civil Liberties Committee Chair, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, on 17 March, MEPs heard presentations on data subjects’ rights, enforcement and ­significant cross-border cases.

Ursula Pachl, Deputy Director General, European Consumer Organisation BEUC, said that in her view, we have mixed results with the GDPR. While the Regulation is at the forefront of businesses minds and can be seen as a global standard, individuals still often face incomprehensible privacy policies. Also problematic is illegal online tracking and profiling. Enforcement of the surveillance economy has been particularly disappointing, she said.