Press Releases

On 14 January 2011, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the Commission's Communication on the review of the EU legal framework for data protection ^(*). The Communication is an essential landmark on the way towards a new legal framework that will represent the most important development in the area of EU data protection since the adoption of the EU Data Protection Directive 16 years ago.

On 17 December 2010, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the Commission's communication on the EU's Internal Security Strategy which aims at targeting the most urgent security threats facing Europe, such as organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime, the management of EU external borders and civil disasters ^(*).

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted a policy paper that sets out the framework within which he monitors, measures and ensures data protection compliance in the EU administration. The policy signals a fundamental change of gear in the field of enforcement.

The policy seeks to encourage voluntary compliance and best practice and create sufficient incentives for compliance by:

In a speech today at the European Commission conference in Brussels on "Taking on the Data Retention Directive", Peter Hustinx, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), strongly argued in favour of seizing the opportunity of the ongoing evaluation process to clearly demonstrate the necessity and justification for the Data Retention Directive.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the European Commission's Communication on the EU Counter-Terrorism Policy which outlines the main achievements and future challenges and prepares the way for a broader Internal Security Strategy (*).The Communication is one of a number of documents in which the Commission outlines its future policies in this area. For example, on Monday the Commission issued another Communication on the EU Internal Security Strategy in Action.

Today, Peter Hustinx, European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), and Giovanni Buttarelli, Assistant Supervisor, spoke to the press about the future of the EU legal framework for data protection and addressed in particular the European Commission's recent communication on a data protection reform strategy. The press conference also provided the opportunity to connect this with the EDPS role and contribution by presenting the main features of his activities in the past year.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the European Commission's communication on the transfer of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data to third countries ^(*). The Communication sets out the EU external strategy on PNR and puts forward the general principles, including a set of data protection standards, that any PNR agreement with a third country should be based on.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the Commission's communication of 20 July 2010 (*) providing a comprehensive overview of EU instruments that regulate the collection, storage or cross-border exchange of personal data for law enforcement or migration management purposes (Schengen Information System, EURODAC and Prüm Decision on DNA data exchange are examples of those instruments).

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) addressed a letter to the Internal Market and Services Directorate General of the Commission (DG MARKT), in which he took stock of what has been achieved and what further progress needs to be made on the issues raised in the Commission Report on the state of data protection in the Internal Market Information System (IMI) ^(*).

The European Court of Justice has issued its ruling on the so-called "Bavarian Lager" case ^(*), a case that has been closely followed as a key case on the question on how best to reconcile the fundamental right to the protection of personal data with the fundamental right of public access to documents.

The Court of Justice clarified certain key concepts in the Data Protection Regulation ^(**) and interpreted the Access to Documents Regulation ^(***) with regard to the right to privacy and data protection. 

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the European Commission's draft Agreement with the United States on the Terrorist Financing Tracking Programme (TFTP) to allow US authorities access to European based financial data managed by the Belgian company SWIFT in cases of anti-terrorism investigations ^(*).

Yesterday, the European Data protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an opinion on the European Commission's proposal to strengthen the operational capabilities of the European Agency for cooperation at external EU borders, Frontex ^(*). The opinion focuses on the growing tasks of the agency as envisaged by the proposal and their consequences for data protection.

Today, in a speech at the European Privacy and Data Protection Commissioners' Conference in Prague, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), Peter Hustinx, spoke strongly about the need to be proactive in the context of the unfolding debate on the future of the EU legal framework for data protection. The EDPS called on the European Commission to remain ambitious in updating the existing framework to avoid the risk of an increasing loss of relevance and effectiveness of data protection in a society that is ever more driven by technological change and globalisation.

Yesterday, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the European Commission's proposal to recast the Directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE, also referred to as "e-waste") ^(*),, a proposal that is intensively discussed in the European Parliament and Council, but without consideration of the data protection implications.  

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted last week an opinion on "Promoting trust in the information society by fostering data protection and privacy" as an input to the forthcoming European Commission's new European Digital Agenda. The opinion discusses the measures that could be either undertaken or promoted by the European Union to guarantee individuals' privacy and data protection rights when making use of information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued a practical set of Guidelines to European institutions and bodies on how to use video-surveillance responsibly with effective safeguards in place. The Guidelines set out the principles for evaluating the need for resorting to video-surveillance and give guidance on how to conduct it in a way which minimises impact on privacy and other fundamental rights.

Today, the Court of Justice decided¹ that data protection authorities in the German Länder which supervise the processing of personal data in the private sector are not acting with "complete independence" as required by the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on current negotiations by the European Union aimed at adopting a new multilateral agreement to strengthen the enforcement of intellectual property rights and to combat counterfeiting and piracy (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement - ACTA).

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the European Commission's proposal to update the current rules for civil aviation accident investigation ^(*).

The Member States of the Council of Europe and the European institutions will celebrate the European Data Protection Day for the fourth time on 28 January 2010. This date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Council of Europe's Convention on the protection of personal data (Convention 108), the first legally binding international instrument in the field of data protection.