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ARTICLE · 17 APRIL 2015

How The Cookie Crumbles – Regulators Undertake EU-Wide ‘Cookie Sweep’

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP
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Mason Hayes & Curran LLP

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The Article 29 Working Party, supported by data protection authorities and other national regulators, recently undertook an EU-wide ‘cookie sweep’.

IrelandMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Philip Nolan
Philip Nolan
Oisin Tobin
Oisin Tobin
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The Article 29 Working Party ("WP29"), supported by data protection authorities and other national regulators, recently undertook an EU-wide 'cookie sweep'. This review concerned nearly 500 websites and spanned 8 Member States. It was aimed at investigating the use of cookies, the level of information provided and the control mechanisms in place.  This 'sweep' found a spectrum of compliance, resulting in some interesting statistics.  While Ireland was not on the list, the review serves as a reminder of the focus by EU regulators on cookie compliance and provides an insight into the views of both national regulators and the WP29.

In Europe, Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive 2002 (as amended) governs the use of cookies and similar technologies. The Article provides for both notice and consent requirements when such technologies are used on websites. The 'cookie sweep' sought to identify the methods used for compliance with these rules. The sites targeted were

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