EU DPAs Receive Thousands of Complaints Under the GDPR
European Digital Rights (EDRi), a digital user rights non-for-profit organisation, on 25 October 2018, launched an online platform, ‘GDPR Today’. In its first edition of the GDPR Today, the EDRi published statistics collected from eight EU Member States (France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom). The statistics show that since the GDPR’s entry into force on 25 May 2018, data protection authorities (DPAs) have received thousands of complaints from EU individuals on the implementation of the GDPR by businesses and other organisations. Of note, the United Kingdom’s DPA, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has topped the list of complaints received, with nearly 15,000 complaints. Germany and France follow in the rankings, with 6,555 complaints and 3,767 complaints received, respectively. However, the UK figure includes complaints filed with the ICO prior to the GDPR’s effective date. (more…)
Data Protection Post-Brexit
Brexit will have fundamental implications for data protection and in particular, the ongoing flow of personal data from the EU to the UK. However, as with many other issues, the precise implications will depend on the type of deal reached between the EU and the UK.
India’s New and Substantial Draft Data Privacy Bill
The expert committee set up by the Government of India recently published a new draft data privacy draft bill called the Personal Data Protection Draft bill 2018 along with a detailed companion report. This significant development brings India closer to a comprehensive law for personal data protection. The draft bill is modelled on the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If enacted into law, the draft bill would impose significant obligations on organizations, whether operating inside or outside India, including mandatory localization of personal data. The Government of India has invited comments to the draft bill by 30 September 2018. (more…)
Japan Granted Adequacy Deal on Data Protection by the EU
On July 17, 2018, the European Commission released a press release announcing Japan and the European Union have concluded talks on reciprocal adequacy of their respective data protection systems, alongside a corresponding Q&A on reciprocal adequacy. After successful negotiations, both jurisdictions have reached a mutual adequacy arrangement, recognising the adequacy in each jurisdiction’s data protection framework and representing the first time that the EU and a third country have agreed on a reciprocal recognition of the level of “adequate” data protection. (more…)
European Lawmakers Call on the EU to Suspend the EU-U.S. ‘Data Transfer’ Privacy Shield
On 11 June 2018, members of a Committee within the European parliament (“MEPs”) narrowly voted in favour of suspending the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield (“Privacy Shield”), an agreement that facilitates the transfer of personal data of EU data subjects to the U.S., unless the U.S. government fully complies with the Privacy Shield data protection requirements by 1 September 2018. Although the resolution is only a draft and has no legal effect, it reflects continued European concerns surrounding Privacy Shield. (more…)
Hong Kong Issues EU Data Privacy Law Guidance on the upcoming GDPR
The Hong Kong Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (the “Hong Kong Data Privacy Commissioner”) has recently published compliance guidance on the upcoming GDPR to raise awareness in Hong Kong companies about the potential effects and reforms needed in order to comply with the new GDPR requirements. (more…)
Privacy and Cybersecurity Top 10 for 2018
This past year was marked by ever more significant data breaches, growing cybersecurity regulatory requirements at the state and federal levels and continued challenges in harmonizing international privacy and cybersecurity regulations. We expect each of these trends to continue in 2018.
As we begin this New Year, here is list of the top 10 privacy and cybersecurity issues for 2018: (more…)
Article 29 Working Party Releases GDPR Guidance on Consent and Transparency
On 28 November 2017, the Article 29 Working Party (the “WP29”) published detailed draft guidelines on consent under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”), which is to come into effect on 25 May 2018. The draft guidance has been submitted for public consultation for a six week period before being adopted.
The WP29 guidance on consent (“Consent Guidelines”) provides an analysis of the notion of consent under the GDPR as well as practical guidance for organisations on the requirements to obtain and demonstrate valid consent under the GDPR. (more…)
European Commission Publishes its First Annual Review of EU-U.S. Privacy Shield
The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield has survived its infancy, although the October 18, 2017 European Commission report on its first annual review of the functioning of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield (the “Report”) leaves uncertainty as to the long-term future of EU-U.S. Privacy Shield if the U.S. is unwilling or unable to adopt further Commission “recommendations”. The Report details the Commission’s findings on the implementation and enforcement of the Privacy Shield during its first year of operation. (more…)