Privacy International publishes an analysis of the European Commission’s proposal for a General Data Protection Regulation – 19 September 2012

While Privacy International welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a General Data Protection Regulation Privacy on the whole, it criticizes a number of weaknesses which have the potential to undermine severely the rights of individuals and therefore require clarification or improvement.

Factsheet on the Hungarian Data Protection Authority

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and the Eötvös Károly Institute published in September 2012 a factsheet on the independence of the Hungarian Data Protection Authority.

The European Commission adds another stone to its general system of control : she issues a new proposal for a European PNR system - 2 February 2011

The European Commission issued its new proposal for a directive on the use of Passenger Name Record data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime. In other words, this is a proposal for a directive to regulate the collect of PNR data at the European level.

The EDPS gives its opinion on the data protection reform – 14 January 2011

On January 14th 2011, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) released an opinion on the Communication from the Commission “A comprehensive approach on personal data protection in the European Union” (COM (2010) 609).

The EDPS warns against the risks linked to the use of Eurodac – 15 December 2010

The European Data Protection Supervisor issued its opinions about the amended proposal for “EURODAC regulation” to be adopted by the European Parliament and Council.

The Council of Europe reminds that profiling can be dangerous - 23 November 2010

The Council of Europe, in a recommandation adopted by the Council of Ministers on November 23rd 2010, reminds that activities using profiling can be harmful to individual liberties and the fight against discriminations.

The EDPS questions the necessity and the proportionality of PNR data transfers to third countries - 19 October 2010

The EDPS welcomes the European Commission’s communication on PNR (Passenger Name Records) data which proposes to adopt a global and horizontal approach on the issue of PNR data transfers to third countries. However, the EDPS is still concerned about the necessity and proportionality of the foreseen measures.

The European Commission presents its plan to amend the legislative framework for data protection - 5 October 2010

The European Commission unveiled its Communication for a new Data Protection Directive, which has been given the name of "A comprehensive strategy on data protection in the European Union". This Communication is intented to be the first step in revising the 1995 Directive as to meet new challenges emerging from new technologies such as social networking.

25 June 2010 - EDPS remains worried about the data protection in the new Swift proposal

European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published his opinion on the new Swift agreement proposal presented by the European Commission on June, 15th 2010. He regrets the fact that "Article 16 TFEU is not foreseen as a legal basis for the agreement despite the fact that Article 1.1 of the proposed agreement underlines a high level of data protection as one of its main purposes".

25 April 2010 - The EDPS issues an opinion on the Commission’s proposal for a citizens’ initiative

The European Data Protection Supervisor just issued an opinion on the Commission’s proposal for a directive on citizens’ initiative. The EDPS is pleased to see that the proposal’s provisions dealing with data, fulfil most of the requirements related to data protection.

22 April 2010 - Publication of an official draft consolidated text of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)

After continual pressure from European Parliament and civil society, the European Commission and its international negotiating partners have made available an official draft consolidated text of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). However, compared to the text leaked in March, only references to specific partners’ positions were removed from the document.

10 March 2010 - European Parliament adopts resolution on the ACTA agreement

The AEDH welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament of its resolution of 10 March 2010 on the transparency and state of play of the ACTA negotiations.

10 March 2010 - Judgment of the CJEU "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"

4 March 2010 - EDPS warns about the potential incompatibility of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement with EU data protection regime

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted the opinion in which he is “concerned as regards a potential incompatibility between envisaged measures and data protection requirements” concerning the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), secretly negotiated between different States, which includes the United States and the European Union.

3 February 2010 - The "SWIFT affair"

On 30 November 2009, the Council of the European Union has signed a temporary agreement between the EU and the USA on the processing of Financial Messaging Data from the European Union to the United States for purposes of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program. The agreement was signed on the eve of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. It temporarily avoids the co-decision procedure; however its implementation, on 1 February 2010 for a 9-month duration, requires the vote of an assent by the European Parliament. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs will be asked to give its opinion on 4 February. In case of a positive vote, the assent will be asked during the plenary session of the European Parliament, probably on 9 February.