66 NGOs fordern EU-Kommissionspräsident Juncker auf unsere Privatsphäre zu schützen

The institutions of the European Union are completing a reform of Europe’s Data Protection framework. Recognising the huge significance of the reform, the European Commission made an unequivocal promise when it launched the process. As an “absolute red line”, the level of protection of individuals’ data would not fall below existing levels. However, leaks show that this promise is not being kept.

Sixty-six NGOs from the European Union, North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia have joined forces to ask for a confirmation from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that the promise will be respected.

“Without leadership from President Juncker, the right to privacy, not just in Europe but around the globe will be undermined”, said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of European Digital Rights, the organisation that initiated the letter. “We hope and expect that the Commission President will uphold the integrity and independence of his institution. We expect a short, rapid response to our question.”

In 2012, the European Commission made an initial legislative proposal to modernise and reform European privacy legislation. The proposal was amended by the European Parliament in 2014. This update is urgently needed, due to the challenges of new technology, the need to harmonise the law and ensure its effective enforcement in Europe. Faced with profiling, digitisation of health data and online tracking, every corner of our lives is increasingly being invaded by “big data”. Due to the amount of data being collected, businesses and governments increasingly know more about us than we know about ourselves – about our preferences, our health, our relationships and our politics. Without credible regulation citizens lose, businesses lose, society loses.

(Posting by Joe McNamee on 21 Apr 2015 at edri.org (under CC-By), see also full letter as PDF)