General Data Protection Regulation Adopted
The controversial General Data Protection Regulation was adopted by the European institutions on 15th December 2015. The aim of the new Regulation is to make Europe ready for the digital age and to enable people to better control their personal data.
More specifically, the Regulation provides individuals with the right to easier access to their own data, the right to data portability, the right to be forgotten, as well as the right to know when their data has been hacked. For businesses, the new Regulation will help cut red tape, increase consumer trust, and make better use of the opportunities provided by the Digital Single Market.
The Regulation also gives greater powers to national law enforcement authorities, which, under the Regulation, will be able to exchange the information necessary for investigations more efficiently and effectively. This will lead to improved cooperation in the fight against terrorism and other serious crimes in Europe.
Following political agreement reached in trilogue, the final texts will be formally adopted by the EP and Council at the beginning of 2016. The new rules will become applicable two years thereafter.
Press release from the European Commission is available here.