Data Protection and Beyond

United Kingdom

This article was produced by Olswang LLP, which joined with CMS on 1 May 2017.

After four years of negotiations and lobbying, the text of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was finally agreed in December 2015 and the Regulation will take direct effect in EU Member States on 25 May 2018. It introduces more onerous requirements, applies to a far wider set of data and businesses, and imposes hefty fines (of up to 4% of global annual turnover) for non-compliance. This gear-change in compliance will require fundamental review of the way businesses collect and handle personal data in all parts of their organisations. There is much to do. Here we provide you with access to our webinar series on GDPR as well as other useful materials and resources to help you achieve compliance by May 2018.


Commentary and analysis:

  • The new ePrivacy Regulation: how will it impact your business? With the GDPR on the horizon, the EU is now overhauling and expanding the reach of the more specific privacy rules which relate to direct marketing, cookies and other forms of online monitoring. The ability of social media and messaging services to track users is one of many areas touched on in the European Commission’s newly proposed ePrivacy Regulation, which was officially unveiled last week. This article highlights some key impacts for the tech and media sectors… (16 January 2017)
  • Data Guidance: Thought leaders in privacy In this interview, Olswang Partner Andreas Splittgerber provides an overview of developments in Germany's data protection sector, including enforcement trends, during the past year. (30 November 2016)
  • EU-US Privacy Shield: What you need to know The EU-US Privacy Shield is a replacement arrangement for the previous Safe Harbour Agreement which was held to be invalid in 2015. In February 2016, the European Commission and the United States Government reached a political agreement on this new framework which provides a mechanism to enable the transfer of personal data from entities in the European Union to the US. It is intended to provide a robust new system to protect the personal data of Europeans through safeguards and commitments deemed to be adequate from a European data protection regulatory perspective... (5 October 2016)
  • The Olswang Guide to GDPR The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will take direct effect in EU Member States on 25 May 2018. It will replace, and to a large extent harmonise, current national rules which transpose the current EU Data Protection Directive (DPD). Local data protection laws will fill remaining gaps. Time is ticking for organisations to get ready for GDPR... (5 October 2016)
  • Beyond trade concerns, Brexit poses questions over data rules Olswang's Dan Tench suggests that "All roads lead to probably having to comply with the (EU) General Data Protection Regulation in one form or another..."... (First published on Reuters.com on 10 June 2016)
  • GDPR approved - get ready now! After years of drafting and debating, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was approved by the European Parliament yesterday (14 April). It is expected to be published in the EU Official Journal in the coming weeks... (15 April 2016)

Webinars:

  • The new Privacy and eCommunications Regulation: a first look In this webinar Elle Todd and Alex Dixie take a first look at the practical impacts of the formal proposals for the new ePrivacy Regulation presented by the European Commission on 10 January 2017.
  • GDPR and the Retail Industry Webinar In this webinar, Olswang considers the data compliance risks for retailers throughout the lifecycle of a consumer transaction. The webinar considers the current position under the Data Protection Directive and Privacy and E Communications Directive, and the changes to come under the new General Data Protection Regulation. (1 December 2016)
  • Implications for the Executive Search and Recruitment Industry Webinar The second webinar in the GDPR readiness series looked at the implications on the Executive Search and Recruitment Industry and challenges that the new Regulation (set to apply from 25 May 2018) presents. (8 November 2016)
  • GDPR and Jurisdictional Issues The 'GDPR and Jurisdictional Issues' webinar focused on the current jurisdictional landscape under the Directive. Olswang Partner Dan Tench looked at the how GDPR is effected post Brexit and if GDPR constitutes a one-stop shop for Data Protection laws across Europe... (20 October 2016)
  • Litigation and regulatory risks arising from the General Data Protection Regulation In this webinar, Dan Tench and Lucy Hayes from Olswang's Commercial Litigation team discuss the changing face of data protection litigation... (19 July 2016)
  • Lessons from the US and impending change in Europe: what you need to know about managing data security breaches This webinar, which Olswang held in conjunction with Epiq and Brit Global Specialty, discusses important updates on the US trends and UK trends and developments in data; what will the new GDPR European regime will mean for companies both within and outside Europe; and the role of insurers in data security breaches... (27 June 2016)

If you would like to register for the next webinar in our GDPR series,

Key contacts:

  • Elle Todd
  • Dan Tench
  • Matt Pollins

Further reading:

Datonomy.eu

blog