GDPR Making an Impact, More Can Be Done, EC Says

Now one year old, the general data protection regulation is bearing fruit, said European Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Commissioner Vera Jourova at a Wednesday briefing. The European Commission published its first assessment of the GDPR, saying it's working well, but more work is needed to make it fully effective. The report reached three conclusions, Jourova said. "Data protection finally matters" and people are starting to care about their privacy. The EU is "entering a digital era on a strong footing" as data protection rules become part of other policies such as artificial intelligence. And Europe's data protection rules "open up possibilities for digital diplomacy to promote data flows based on high standards between countries that share EU values." The EC still has some concerns, she said: Some EU members are "gold-plating" the regulation by adding new provisions into national laws. There are fewer complaints from businesses that see the "doom scenario" didn't materialize, but too many companies, especially smaller ones, remain uncertain about the measure. The EU has become "the rule maker for the world," with more countries using the regulation as a reference point for adopting privacy laws, she said. Greece, Portugal and Slovenia haven't adopted the GDPR into their law. Asked whether the EC is considering formal enforcement actions, Jourova said she won't hesitate to launch such procedures where appropriate and is talking with EU members to resolve the issues.