News about Digital Privacy

EU Members States, supported by the Commission, have developed an EU toolbox for the use of mobile applications for contact tracing and warning in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This is part of a common coordinated approach to support the gradual lifting of confinement measures, as set out in a Commission Recommendation last week.

Policy makers and implementers, Data Protection Authorities, industry, consultants, researchers, NGOs and as well as civil society are invited to submit their opinions and interpretation papers.

As part of the Digital Single Market strategy, the new Regulation on the free flow of non-personal data, which has started to apply in the Member states, will allow data to be stored and processed everywhere in the EU without unjustified restrictions. Today's guidance aims to help users – in particular small and medium-sized enterprises – understand the interaction between these new rules and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - especially when datasets are composed of both personal and non-personal data.

Today the European Commission published a new study, the eGovernment benchmark report 2018, which demonstrates that the availability and quality of online public services have improved in the EU. Overall there has been significant progress in respect to the efficient use of public information and services online, transparency of government authorities' operations and users' control of personal data, cross-border mobility and key enablers, such as the availability of electronic identity cards and other documents.

The VisiOn project makes it easier to check that public administrations are storing personal data responsibly.

The European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement to update the EU's telecoms rules. The new European Electronic Communications Code, proposed by the Commission, will boost investments in very high capacity networks across the EU, including in remote and rural areas.

The Commission has proposed on 10 January 2017 a Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications to update current rules to technical developments and to adapt them to the General Data Protection Regulation that will enter into application in May 2018. The objective is to reinforce trust and security in the Digital Single Market.

Ahead of the entry into application of the General Data Protection Regulation, the European Commission has presented a set of concrete actions that European leaders can take to protect citizens' privacy and make the EU's Digital Single Market a reality before the end of 2018.

The European Commission (DG CONNECT), ENISA and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) are organising this year's forum and are inviting papers presenting original work on the themes of data protection and privacy and their repercussions on technology business, government, law, society, policy and on law enforcement. An inter-disciplinary approach is high in demand to contribute to bridging the gap between research, business models and policy, much like proposing new models and interpretations are. Deadline for submission is 18 April 2018.

A central element of the ICT 2018 event are the networking sessions which complement the conference programme and the exhibition. The networking sessions are organised by stakeholders attending ICT 2018 and aim to boost exchanges between all participants.