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ARTICLE · 28 JANUARY 2026

Data Protection Day 2026

William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP
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William Fry LLP

William Fry LLP

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The various proposals to simplify the GDPR took centre stage, including the European Commission's proposed Digital Omnibus Package.

IrelandPrivacy
Rachel Hayes
Rachel Hayes
Leo Moore
Leo Moore
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2025 witnessed another seismic shift in the data protection law space as Europe's regulatory framework continued to evolve in response to technological advancements and accelerated digital transformation.

The various proposals to simplify the GDPR took centre stage, including the European Commission's proposed Digital Omnibus Package. In this update, members of our Technology group reflect on 2025's key developments and highlight some anticipated trends for 2026.

1. Proposed GDPR simplification and new rules

On 19 November 2025, the European Commission released its Digital Omnibus Package, a reform that seeks to overhaul significant parts of the EU's digital laws, including the GDPR (for detailed insights on the Package and related insights, read our updates here and here). The Digital Omnibus Package post-dated the European Data Protection Board (EDPB)'s Helsinki Statement in July 2025, which represented a commitment to make GDPR compliance more achievable

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