The European Parliament is ready to adopt the EU regulation on data protection very soon. MEPs underlined their position in plenary today and called on the Council to start negotiations with Parliament. "The protection of personal data is a basic right. Our citizens must be able to enjoy it day by day. Wherever the data of European citizens is circulated, European law must be respected and enforced – on either side of the Atlantic," said Axel Voss MEP.

 

The future EU regulation would replace the current set of 28 different national rules. "The protection of personal data needs joint standards which apply directly all over the EU. That way we can strengthen the rights of citizens - and at the same time keep the effort required by businesses to a bearable level. Member States must now get their act together and get ready for negotiations," said Voss.

 

Wherever the data of European citizens is circulated, European law must be respected and enforced – on either side of the Atlantic

Axel Voss MEP

 

"The EU regulation will not be enough to strengthen data protection, however, as the final report of the NSA inquiry group, which we also adopted today, has shown. We need a swift conclusion of the negotiations with the US on a framework agreement on data protection in the fight against crime. Further, the Safe Harbour Agreement must be suspended and we ought to renegotiate it. Lastly, we need to invest in European IT infrastructure," said the EPP Group MEP.

 

"To suspend the TFTP agreement, however, is wrong. To track the financing of terrorism is an essential tool in the fight against organised crime. This has nothing to do with mass surveillance of citizens, but with fighting terrorism," said Axel Voss, who is in charge of the EU regulation on data protection and the inquiry group report on the NSA for the EPP Group.

  

 

 

BRU - Tel: +32 (0)2 2845302 Fax: +32 (0)2 2849302

STR - Tel: +33 (0)3 88 175302 Fax: +33 (0)3 88 179302

Email: axel.voss@europarl.europa.eu

 

Phone: +32 478 21 53 72

E-mail: thomas.bickl@europarl.europa.eu