On 15 December, representatives of the EU institutions found a political agreement on the EU data protection reform, following the last round of talks between negotiators of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission (“trilogue” meeting). The data protection reform, which was launched in 2012 by the European Commission, aims to modernise the current data protection framework of the EU, which dates back to 1995.

The EOC EU Office has followed the topic very actively, notably by expressing its concerns to EU officials about the reform’s unintended negative consequences for the fight against match-fixing and doping.

This political agreement is not the final step for the reform as the final texts must now be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. This process started on 17 December 2015 with the confirmation vote of the LIBE committee of the European Parliament and the confirmation by the permanent representatives of EU governments, in COREPER.

The final adoption of the reform and its official publication is expected for the first semester 2016.

Unlike the traditional EU procedure, the regulation will not directly enter into force. A two-year transition phase has been scheduled, allowing Members States to adapt their national laws or pass new ones in order to comply with the regulation as well as to define some elements at their discretion. 

FURTHER INFORMATION
Press release European Commission
Press release European Parliament
Press release Council Presidency