Justice
Accessibility tools



Home
Menu
Go to content
Service tools





Glossary
About this site
Contact
Cookies
Legal notice
Language

Current languageen
Navigation path



European Commission
Justice
Data protection
Search
Search
HomeAll Topics











Fundamental Rights
EU citizenship and free movement
Civil Justice
Contract law
Criminal Justice
Data protection
Gender equality
Tackling discrimination
Relations with Third Countries
Effective justice
Consumer policy website
Browse section:











Data protection
Reform of the data protection legal framework
Data transfers outside the EU
Article 29 Working Party
Entities collecting data
Protecting your personal data
Data protection bodies
Legislation
Funding opportunities
Public consultations
Events
Protection of personal data
In January 2012, the European Commission proposed a comprehensive reform of data protection
rules in the EU.
On 4 May 2016, the official texts of the Regulation and the Directive have been published in the
EU Official Journal in all the official languages. While the Regulation will enter into force on 24
May 2016, it shall apply from 25 May 2018. The Directive enters into force on 5 May 2016 and
EU Member States have to transpose it into their national law by 6 May 2018.
The objective of this new set of rules is to give citizens back control over of their personal data,
and to simplify the regulatory environment for business. The data protection reform is a key
enabler of the Digital Single Market which the Commission has prioritised. The reform will
allow European citizens and businesses to fully benefit from the digital economy.
Whenever you open a bank account, join a social networking website or book a flight online, you
hand over vital personal information such as your name, address, and credit card number.
What happens to this data? Could it fall into the wrong hands? What rights do you have
regarding your personal information?
Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data.
Under EU law, personal data can only be gathered legally under strict conditions, for a legitimate
purpose. Furthermore, persons or organisations which collect and manage your personal
information must protect it from misuse and must respect certain rights of the data owners which
are guaranteed by EU law.
Every day within the EU, businesses, public authorities and individuals transfer vast amounts of
personal data across borders. Conflicting data protection rules in different countries would
disrupt international exchanges. Individuals might also be unwilling to transfer personal data
abroad if they were uncertain about the level of protection in other countries.
Therefore, common EU rules have been established to ensure that your personal data enjoys a
high standard of protection everywhere in the EU. You have the right to complain and obtain
redress if your data is misused anywhere within the EU.
The EU's Data Protection Directive also foresees specific rules for the transfer of personal data
outside the EU to ensure the best possible protection of your data when it is exported abroad.
Article 29 Working Party on Data Protection
The Article 29 Working Party, composed of representatives from all EU Data Protection
Authorities, the EDPS and the European Commission, was set up under the Directive 95/46/EC.
It has advisory status and acts independently.
Latest documents:

Opinion 01/2015 on Privacy and Data Protection Issues relating to the Utilisation of

Drones
(456 kB)
- WP 231
Letter from the Art.29 WP to DG FISMA on possible delegated acts for the
implementation of EU legislation on both markets in financial instruments (MIFID II)
and on market abuse regulation (MAR)
(294 kB)
Related links
Related documents
Policy in the making
02-06-2016
Signing of the "Umbrella" Agreement: A major step forward in EU-U.S.
relations
29-02-2016
European Commission unveils EU-U.S. Privacy Shield
28-01-2016
Building on modern and unified rules to strengthen fundamental rights and
create a Digital Single Market
More news
Justice on Twitter






Last update: 06/07/2016
Legal notice
Cookies
Contact
Search
Top
Follow us
General information





Glossary
About this site
Contact
Cookies
Legal notice

About us
o About DG Justice and Consumers




Organisation chart
(37 kB)
Transparency
o Meetings of Director-General
o Meetings of Secretary-General
All topics
o Fundamental rights
o EU citizenship
o Civil Justice
o Contract law
o Criminal Justice
o Data protection
o Gender equality
o Tackling discrimination
o Relations with third countries
o Effective Justice
Other items
o Newsroom
o Have your say
o Stakeholder feedback
o Events
o Contracts
o European Institute for Gender Equality
o Fundamental rights agency
o
o
o
Eurojust: Judicial Cooperation Unit
Consular protection
e-Justice Portal