Brussels mandarins have used World Data Privacy Day to reaffirm their commitment to a root and branch reform of the EU’s data protection rules to make them fit for the 21st century, claiming the negotiations are progressing at full speed.
The EU’s Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding claims she is working “very hard” to ensure the new Regulation will be in the statute book within 12 months – despite fears that it is far too prescriptive.
The UK DMA estimates that in its current form, it will cost British business £47bn to implement.
Unbowed, Reding said: “We live in a digital world in which personal data has enormous economic value. Already, a person’s location patterns can be captured and tracked. Soon, sensors will tell phones whether their users are alone or in a crowd.
“European businesses need to take advantage of this new computing and information-sharing landscape and European consumers need to be able to navigate safely though the digital age. A uniform and modern data protection law for the European Union is exactly what we need to secure trust and generate growth in the digital single market. I am working very hard to make sure that by next year’s Data Protection Day this reform will be in the statute book.”
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