The European Commission’s data protection reform proposals were backed today by an overwhelming majority (49 votes in favour, 1 against and 3 abstentions) in the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament. The reports of MEPs Jan-Philipp Albrecht and Dimitrios Droutsas, on which members of the LIBE Committee voted today, are a strong endorsement of the Commission’s package approach to the data protection reform, and an important signal of progress in the legislative procedure.
“The vote by the European Parliament’s leading committee is a strong signal for Europe. It paves the way for a uniform and strong European data protection law that will cut costs for business and strengthen the protection of our citizens: one continent, one law,” said Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU’s Justice Commissioner. “The European Parliament has proven that excessive lobbying can be counter-productive. It has not only defended but strengthened the right to be forgotten for citizens – one of the central elements of the EU data protection reform. This is democracy in Europe at its best. Thanks to the committed and tireless work of Members of the European Parliament Mr Albrecht, Mr Voss and Mr Droutsas, the European Parliament has succeeded in consolidating 3999 amendments into just 104 compromise amendments. This is a solid text. It is now for the Council of Ministers, the EU’s second Chamber, to rise to the challenge.”
The LIBE Committee gave its strong backing to the architecture and the fundamental principles of the Commission’s data protection reform proposals, on both the General Data Protection Regulation and on the Data Protection Directive for law enforcement situations. Here to read more.
