The EU Launches Initiative To Revamp EU Privacy Rules

On January 25, 2012, the European Commission unveiled its draft legislative proposals to revamp privacy rules in the European Union (EU).¹ The proposals are designed to align existing data privacy rules, dating from the 1995 Data Protection Directive ("1995 Directive"), with recent evolutions in technology, such as the rise of a global internet, cloud computing, social networking sites, smart cards, and the so-called "internet of things."  

The proposals consist of a new draft regulation ("Draft Regulation") and a new draft directive ("Draft Directive"). These proposals are accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment, a report, a draft communication and various press documents and tools. The Draft Regulation addresses data protection by companies doing business in the EU's internal market, while the Draft Directive concerns data protection in the exchange of information between EU Member State police and judicial authorities in the fight against serious crime.