After over three years of discussion, the new EU data protection framework has finally been agreed. It takes the form of a regulation: the General Data Protection Regulation. The GDPR will replace the current Data Protection Directive, will be directly applicable in all member states without the need for implementing national legislation, and is likely to come into force in the first half of 2018. It has not yet been published in the Official Journal, so the numbering of the articles will change. Technically, changes to the content are also possible, though hopefully unlikely.
It is a sizeable piece of legislation, currently with over 130 recitals and over 90 articles, which makes a number of significant changes to the current regime. These will have an impact on all businesses and the cost of complying with the new law is likely to be substantial. Continue reading
