The Council of the EU has adopted its position at first reading formally approving a legislative package on data protection reform. The legislative package is aimed at updating and modernising existing data protection rules. It includes two legislative instruments: a Regulation on general data protection (intended to replace the Data Protection Directive) and a Directive on data protection in the area of law enforcement (intended to replace the 2008 data protection framework decision). The Council’s approval paves the way for the final adoption of the legislative package by the European Parliament at its plenary session in April.

The European Parliament approved the reform package a couple of days after the Council’s adoption. The Regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. Its provisions will be directly applicable in all member states two years after this date. Member states will have two years to transpose the provisions of the Directive into national law.

View Council of EU formally adopts EU data protection reform package, 8 April 2016

View EU Parliament approves data protection reform package, 14 April 2016