Daftblogger: The proposed reforms to the EU data protection rules moved on in March (2014) with the European Parliament proposing a series of amendments under a process begun two years ago by the European Commission. The next step is for the EU Council of Ministers to consider the proposed amendments. Once finally agreed, the new rules are not expected to be applicable until 2016.
These reforms are not without controversy, to say the least. Although the existing EU rules are being entirely replaced, the core elements of data protection set up under the existing rules will not only remain, but, they will be tripled in length, or even longer if the Parliament’s amendments are finally taken up. Further, although one of the Commission’s reform aims is to bring the rules in line with new technologies, quite whether this will be achieved is doubted in several quarters.