EU: Data protection reform for police and law enforcement
EU justice ministers recently agreed on new data protection rules for police and law enforcement. The rules also apply to cross-border data transfers.
This means that the trilogue negotiations between the EU Commission, the European Parliament and the Council on the directive can begin this month. Today's agreement is another important step towards concluding the comprehensive EUData protection reform by the end of this year, after the governments defined their negotiating position on the General Data Protection Regulation in June. The new data protection directive aims to introduce general data protection principles and rules for police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. The rules are to apply to both domestic and cross-border data transfers.
Věra Jourová, EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, welcomed today's agreement: "The protection of personal data is a fundamental EU right. In addition to victims and witnesses, suspects of crimes also have the right to proper protection of their data in the context of a criminal investigation or prosecution. The regulations and principles we are proposing will safeguard that. At the same time, better harmonized laws will also make it easier for police and prosecutors to cooperate in cross-border investigations and fight crime and terrorism across Europe with greater efficiency."
In January 2012, the EU Commission proposed a comprehensive reform of EU data protection rules dating back to 1995 to strengthen individuals' online privacy rights and boost Europe's digital economy. The proposals included two legislative proposals: a regulation establishing a general EU data protection legal framework and a directive on the protection of personal data processed for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences and for related judicial activities.
EU press release
