Today, two draft reports (by Albrecht and Droutsas) were presented in the European Parliament on the reform of the EU's data protection rules (as proposed a year ago by the European Commission). Both reports are positive and support a "a coherent and robust data protection framework with strong end enforceable rights for individuals". (Commission welcomes European Parliament rapporteurs' support for strong EU data protection rules) This support is given both to the objectives set by the European Commission in establishing a new framework on data protection, as well as to the suggested package approach (substantive and procedural rules tackled at the same time).
There are, of course, also changes that the rapporteurs suggest, such as reinforcement of the right to be forgotten and other individuals' rights (strengthening of explicit consent by making the language easier in privacy policies, anonymous use of data etc.). They also mention the need to replace the Directive with a Regulation as well as the need to establish an independent EU data protection agency that could take legally binding decisions, which would facilitate enforcement of these provisions.
The LIBE Committee of the EP will discuss these reports on 10 January.
