EC data laws 'to override members'

The European Commission could be given powers to bring in sweeping changes to data protection laws – without consulting member states – in order to respond to advancements in technology.
According to reports, Sweden and other EU members have thrashed out a deal during negotiations over the new EU data laws that would allow the Commission to “adapt the rules as technology and attitudes towards data protection change”.
The agreement was made at a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Cyprus.
“For us it’s important that we have legislation that is of course detailed enough to give protection to citizens, but that is also applicable for a longer period of time,” a Swedish official said, according to Reuters.
The EU’s draft data protection regulation is currently going through the committee and negotiation stage, as each member state tries to get its amendments passed.
Earlier this month, the UK Government accused the European Commission of wildly under-estimating the full cost to businesses of the new laws, while exaggerating the benefits of creating a single law to govern across the EU.
The criticism was included in a Ministry of Justice document containing a summary of responses it had received to its call for evidence on the reforms.