GDPR For Dummies

Appendix A

Upcoming Changes to Data Protection Laws

The GDPR introduces some key changes in European data protection law that I discuss in Chapter 2. In this appendix, I explore other data protection law changes inspired by our increasingly digitally reliant world and by the global impact the GDPR is sure to have going forward.

The ePrivacy Regulations

Now being negotiated between the European Parliament, the European Council, and the European Commission are amendments to the ePrivacy Directive that came into effect in 2002. Individual EU member states implemented this Directive as part of their national law, though there are differences in interpretation of the Directive and therefore differing national laws (as discussed in Chapter 19). The amendments to the ePrivacy Directive will take effect with the introduction of new ePrivacy Regulations.

A Directive is a legislative act of the EU that requires all EU member states to implement a new law, yet allows some flexibility on how the laws' goals are to be met. A Regulation, however, is a binding legislative act that is applied in its entirety across all EU member states and is immediately applicable and enforceable.

The extent and scope of digital advertising has drastically changed since 2002. By updating the ePrivacy Directive to meet these changes, the aim of the amendments is twofold:

• To ensure confidentiality of online ...