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ARTICLE · 19 MAY 2014

Increasing Importance Of Data Protection In Competition Matters

Van Bael & Bellis
Van Bael & Bellis
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Van Bael & Bellis

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The European Data Protection Supervisor recently called for closer interaction in the fields of competition enforcement, consumer protection and privacy.

European UnionAntitrust/Competition Law
Van Bael Bellis
Van Bael Bellis
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The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), an independent supervisory authority for the protection of personal data and privacy, recently called for closer interaction in the fields of competition enforcement, consumer protection and privacy. The EDPS also called for closer interaction between the different regulators in these fields.

On 26 March 2014, the EDPS published a preliminary opinion on "Privacy and competitiveness in the age of big data: The interplay between data protection, competition law and consumer protection in the Digital Economy" (the Opinion). The Opinion is drafted against the backdrop of the increasing use of large data sets.

According to the EDPS, personal information has become "a form of currency to pay for so-called 'free' online services". This should be taken into account when determining market power. For instance, in terms of market definition, the EDPS considers that the explosion of data collection could result in a completely

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