News about Digital Privacy

A new report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), published on 27 October, identifies key pressure points that shape social media’s impact on our democracies.

To exploit the full potential of contact tracing and warning apps to break the chain of coronavirus infections across borders and save lives, the Commission, at the invitation by EU Member States, has set up an EU-wide system to ensure interoperability – a so-called ‘gateway'.

The Commission has proposed an interim Regulation to ensure that providers of online communications services can continue detecting and reporting child sexual abuse online and removing child sexual abuse material.

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.