Achieving a joint goal – to establish an enabling user-centric EU privacy framework
that supports innovation

Our organisations (CableEurope, ECTA, ETNO, EuroISPA and GSMA Europe) represent the whole European electronic communications industry: fixed and mobile telecoms operators, Internet Services Providers and cable companies, and national and pan-European players.

Our industries provide access, hosting and content services to European consumers, helping to create a platform for strong economic growth via ecommerce and remote working, as well as new communication, health and government services.

As major industry stakeholders, we wish to bring to your attention a high level summary of our main considerations on the future of data protection in the European Union. More
detailed considerations are set out in our individual responses to the recent consultation.

We are of the opinion that the Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46/EC) is a very
important piece of legislation and its basic principles remain valid. However, their
interpretation, application and enforcement have not resulted in the harmonised framework and level playing field necessary to establishing certainty for data controllers and individuals.

The key outcome of the review should be to establish an enabling user-centric privacy
framework that supports innovation in information use, technology and business models and which empowers users to become aware of and to manage their privacy in simple, clear and contextually appropriate ways.

Data Protection rules should be flexible, technologically neutral and horizontally apply
to all economic sectors and actors processing personal data which impacts on the
privacy of EU citizens.

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