Strasbourg 11/03/14

Speaking in this afternoon's debate on Parliament's proposals for a major revamp of EU data protection laws, GUE/NGL MEP Cornelia Ernst said that after almost three years of negotiations on the dossier, "the most important thing to remember is that this is not about technicalities or new bureaucracies, but the design and provision of a fundamental right for all people living in the EU."

"This fundamental right includes protection of the right to an undisturbed private life, to privacy," she said. "Breaching this right puts people under the microscope as objects for observation."

"These are rights that are at the heart of what it means to be a citizen. We have created a data protection package that fulfils key goals in terms of principles, a compromise which seeks to meet the demands of 21st century communications over the coming decades. Now the ball is in the Council's court, where we've already seen lofty promises for better data protection without any action."

GUE/NGL Press:
David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
www.guengl.eu
European United Left/Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group