On the 18th of
August, deputy EU Justice Commissioner Martine Reichers gave a speech
concerning the progress on the data protection reform directives. Just when
progress is accelerating, opponents are trying to slow it down by using the
recent ruling of the European Court of Justice regarding the right to be
forgotten.
However Reichers says she will not allow them to use this vital
ruling to stop the opening of a single digital market for EU companies and
better privacy protection for EU citizens. The ruling asks for a balance
between the legitimate interests of Internet users and the fundamental rights
of citizens. Negotiations concerning the data protection reform have been
ongoing for more than two and a half years. Heads of State and Government want
to adopt a strong EU General Date Protection framework by 2015.
Further information on data
protection can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/