Legislation

Charter

• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU

EU Convention

• European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

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Treaty

• Treaty on the European Union (TEU)  
• Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)  

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Directives & Framework Decisions

• 25.01.2012. COM(2012) 10. Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and the free movement of such data
• Directive 2009/136/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 amending Directive 2002/22/EC on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks and services, Directive 2002/58/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws
• Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA of 27 November 2008 on the protection of personal data processed in the framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters
• Directive 2006/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks and amending Directive 2002/58/EC
• Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector - recast version(107 KB)  
• Application to the EFTA countries Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein under the EEA AGREEMENT - Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 83/1999 of 25 June 1999 amending Protocol 37 and Annex XI (Telecommunication services) to the EEA Agreement OJ L 296/41, of 23.11.2000
• Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data
  • Status of implementation of Directive on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data  
  • Follow-up of the Work Programme for better implementation of the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC)  

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Regulation

• 25.01.2012. COM(2012) 11. Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regards to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Regulation (EC) 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18. December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data

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Decisions

• Council Decision of 13 July 2010 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of Financial Messaging Data from the European Union to the United States for the purposes of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP Agreement)

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Communications

• Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Safeguarding Privacy in a Connected World A European Data Protection Framework for the 21st Century
  • Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions based on Article 29 (2) of the Council Framework Decision of 27 November 2008 on the protection of personal data processed in the framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters  and annex(121 KB)  
  • Impact Assessment(2 MB)   and Annexes(726 KB)   , Annex 9(24 KB)  
  • Impact Assessment Executive Summary(47 KB)  

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Case Law

• European Court of Justice: C-119/12 Josef Probst v mr.nexnet GmbH
  Electronic communications - Directive 2002/58/EC - Article 6(2) and (5) - Processing of personal data - Traffic data necessary for billing and debt collection - Debt collection by a third company - Persons acting under the authority of the providers of public communications networks and electronic communications services.
• European Court of Justice: C-614/10 European Commission v Republic of Austria (judgement of 16 October 2012)
  Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directive 95/46/EC - Processing of personal data and free movement of such data - Protection of natural persons - Article 28(1) - National supervisory authority - Independence - Supervisory authority and the Federal Chancellery - Personal and organisational links
• European Court of Justice: Joined Cases C‑468/10 and C‑469/10 - Asociación Nacional de Establecimientos Financieros de Crédito (ASNEF) (C‑468/10), Federación de Comercio Electrónico y Marketing Directo (FECEMD) (C‑469/10) v Administración del Estado (judgement of 24 November 2011)
  Processing of personal data – Directive 95/46/EC – Article 7(f) – Direct effect
• European Court of Justice: C-461/10 - Bonnier Audio AB, Earbooks AB, Norstedts Förlagsgrupp AB, Piratförlaget AB, Storyside AB v Perfect Communication Sweden AB
  Copyright and related rights – Processing of data by internet – Infringement of an exclusive right – Audio books made available via an FTP server via internet by an IP address supplied by an internet service provider – Injunction issued against the internet service provider ordering it to provide the name and address of the user of the IP address
• European Court of Justice: C-70/10 - Scarlet Extended SA v Société belge des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs SCRL (SABAM) (judgement of 24 November 2011)
  Information society – Copyright – Internet – ‘Peer-to-peer’ software – Internet service providers – Installation of a system for filtering electronic communications in order to prevent file sharing which infringes copyright – No general obligation to monitor information transmitted
• European Union Civil Service Tribunal: F-46/09 -  ACTION under Articles 236 EC and 152 EA, Candidate for a post as a member of the contract staff at the European Parliament, residing in Brussels (Belgium) v European Parliament (judgement of 05 July 2011)
  Civil service – Contract staff – Conditions of engagement – Whether physically fit – Pre-recruitment medical examination – Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data – Medical confidentiality – Transfer of medical data between institutions – Right to respect for private life
• European Court of Justice: C-92/09 and C-93/09 - Volker und Markus Schecke GbR (C-92/09), Hartmut Eifert (C-93/09) v Land Hessen (judgement of 9 November 2010)
  Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data - Publication of information on beneficiaries of agricultural aid - Validity of the provisions of European Union law providing for that publication and laying down detailed rules for such publication - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Articles 7 and 8 - Directive 95/46/EC - Interpretation of Articles 18 and 20.
• European Court of Justice: C-518/07 European Commission supported by European Data Protection Supervisor v Federal Republic of Germany (judgement of 9 March 2010) 
  Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directive 95/46/EC - Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data - Article 28(1) - National supervisory authorities - Independence - Administrative scrutiny of those authorities.
• European Court of Justice: C-28/08 P - European Commission v The Bavarian Lager Co. Ltd, European Data Protection Supervisor (judgement of 29 June 2010)
  Appeal - Access to the documents of the institutions - Document concerning a meeting held in the context of a procedure for failure to fulfil obligations - Protection of personal data - Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 - Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001
• European Court of Justice: C-553/07 College van burgemeester en wethouders van Rotterdam v M.E.E. Rijkeboer Netherlands (judgement of 7 May 2009)
  Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data - Directive 95/46/EC - Respect for private life - Erasure of data - Right of access to data and to information on the recipients of data - Time-limit on the exercise of the right to access.
• European Court of Justice: C-557/07 (order of the Court of 19 February 2009 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Oberster Gerichtshof (Austria))
  LSG-Gesellschaft zur Wahrnehmung von Leistungsschutzrechten GmbH v Tele2 Telecommunication GmbH) "Article 104, paragraph 3 of the Rules of Procedure - Information society - Copyright and related right - Retention and disclosure of certain traffic data - Protecting the confidentiality of electronic communication - 'Intermediaries' within the meaning of Article 8, paragraph 3 of Directive 2001/29/EC.
• Court of First Instance: T-259/03 (judgment of 12 September 2007) Nikolaou v Commission
  Non-contractual liability - Inquiry of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) concerning a Member of the Court of Auditors - Divulgence of information - Protection of personal information - Access to the inquiry file and to OLAF's report - Sufficiently serious breach of the rules of law conferring rights on individuals - Causal link - Loss) / Re: Action for damages, pursuant to the second paragraph of Article 288 EC, for the loss suffered by the applicant following publication of information concerning an inquiry carried out concerning her by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and OLAF's refusal to grant her access to the inquiry file and to supply her with a copy of its final report.
• European Court of Justice: C-524/06 Heinz Huber v Bundesrepublik Germany (judgment of 16 December 2008)
  Protection of personal data - European citizenship - Principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality - Directive 95/46/EC - Concept of necessity - General processing of personal data relating to citizens of the Union who are nationals of another Member State - Central register of foreign nationals
• European Court of Justice: C-73/07 Tietosuojavaltuutettu v Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy, Satamedia Oy (judgment of 16 December 2008)
  Directive 95/46/EC - Scope - Processing and flow of tax data of a personal nature - Protection of natural persons - Freedom of expression
• European Court of Justice: Case C-275/06 (Judgment of 29 January 2008) /Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Juzgado de lo Mercantil No 5 de Madrid - Spain/ Productores de Música de España (Promusicae) v Telefónica de España SAU
  Information society - Obligations of providers of services - Retention and disclosure of certain traffic data - Obligation of disclosure - Limits - Protection of the confidentiality of electronic communications - Compatibility with the protection of copyright and related rights - Right to effective protection of intellectual property
• European Court of Justice: Joined Cases C-317/04 and C-318/04 (judgment of 30 May 2006 / European Parliament v Council of the European Union
  The court annuls the council decision concerning the conclusion of an agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of personal data and the Commission decision on the adequate protection of those data - Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data - Air transport - Decision 2004/496/EC -Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America - Passenger Name Records of air passengers transferred to the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection - Directive 95/46/EC - Article 25 -Third countries - Decision 2004/535/EC - Adequate level of protection
• European Court of Justice: Joined Cases C-465/00, C-138/01 and C-139/01 (Judgment of 20 May 2003) / Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Verfassungsgerichtshof and Oberster Gerichtshof: Rechnungshof (C-465/00) v Österreichischer Rundfunk and Others and between Christa Neukomm (C-138/01), Joseph Lauermann (C-139/01) and Österreichischer Rundfunk
  Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data - Directive 95/46/EC - Protection of private life - Disclosure of data on the income of employees of bodies subject to control by the Rechnungshof 
• European Court of Justice: C-101/01 (judgment of 6 November 2003) / Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Göta hovrätt: Bodil Lindqvist
  Directive 95/46/EC - Scope - Publication of personal data on the internet - Place of publication - Definition of transfer of personal data to third countries - Freedom of expression - Compatibility with Directive 95/46 of greater protection for personal data under the national legislation of a Member State