Memo: EU Data Protection: European Parliament’s Industry committee backs uniform data protection rules

On 20 February 2013, the European Commission welcomed the adoption of an opinion by the European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) on the Commission’s proposals to reform the EU’s data protection rules which date back to 1995.

The vote on the Committee’s opinion, drafted by Member of the European Parliament Seán Kelly, is the latest step towards a swift adoption of the proposed legislation. The Committee’s opinion – which covers the draft general Data Protection Regulation – will now be submitted to the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE), which will consolidate all the amendments submitted so far and vote on its own report at the end of April 2013.

The European Commission will continue to work very closely with the European Parliament and with the Council to support the co-legislators in their endeavour to achieve a political agreement on the data protection reform by the end of the Irish Presidency. The next discussion by Ministers of the proposed data protection rules is set for the upcoming Justice Council on 8 March 2013.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 22.02.13: Euro-deputies weaken data protection law http://euobserver.com/justice/119148

ESO: Background information: MEPs copy-pasting amendments from US lobbyists http://www.europeansources.info/record/meps-copy-pasting-amendments-from-us-lobbyists/

European Commission: Rapid: MEMO/13/177: German Minister for the Interior Hans-Peter Friedrich and EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding emphasise the importance of the EU General Data Protection Regulation for the digital single market and the protection of fundamental rights in Europe http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-177_en.htm

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