Press Releases

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.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the European Commission's proposed legislative package establishing an Agency for the operational management of large-scale information technology (IT) systems in the area of freedom, security and justice. The Agency would be responsible for the operational management of Schengen Information System (SIS II), Visa Information System (VIS), Eurodac and possible other large-scale IT systems.

Following last week's agreement on the EU telecoms reform, nothing stands in the way for the ePrivacy Directive to enter into force. The formalities required for formal adoption will be undertaken in the coming weeks. The revised ePrivacy Directive^(*), as amended by the European Parliament and adopted by the Council must be implemented by the Member States within 18 months.

On 23 October, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), in cooperation with the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA), organised a seminar entitled "Responding to data breaches". The seminar, which was mainly aimed at data controllers and data security practitioners, was attended by more than 80 participants.

Yesterday, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on two Commission proposals aiming at providing the basis for the right of law enforcement authorities to have access to EURODAC under specific conditions.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the European Commission's proposed deployment plan for intelligent transport systems (ITS) in Europe that was adopted in December 2008 to accelerate and coordinate their deployment in road transport and their connection with other modes of transport (*).

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has adopted an opinion on the European Commission's Communication of 10 June 2009 entitled “An area of freedom, security and justice serving the citizen”. The Communication is the Commission's contribution to the discussions on the new EU programme for the next five years in the area of justice and home affairs, the so called Stockholm programme, which is due to be adopted by the European Council in December 2009.

The Eurodac Supervision Coordination Group has issued a report on their second coordinated inspection of the large-scale database that contains fingerprints of asylum seekers in order to assist asylum procedures in the European Union. The Supervision Group, which is composed of data protection authorities of each of the participating States and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), has investigated how the database has been used in practice over the last two years.

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has issued his second general report measuring progress made in the implementation of data protection rules and principles by Community institutions and bodies, as laid down in the Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 45/2001).

On 30 April, in his sixth year of activity, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) received the 500^th prior-check notification on a processing of personal data in the EU administration. For reasons of transparency, a register of all notifications for prior checking received by the EDPS is now publicly available on the EDPS website.

Following yesterday's vote in the European Parliament, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has expressed his satisfaction with how the Parliament addressed the delicate issue of reconciling transparency requirements with data protection obligations.

Although some legal fine-tuning is still needed, the amendments adopted by MEPs clearly reflect an approach which strives for a proper balance between transparency on the one hand and data protection on the other.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the Commission's proposal for a Directive on standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation. The proposal provides for national quality programmes to advance organs donation and transplantation, including a traceability mechanism to ensure that all organs can be traced from donation to reception and vice versa.