Key Points
- EU reaches an agreement to grant users greater access to their data and enhance control over its use.
- The new law facilitates data sharing, introduces safeguards against unlawful transfers, and simplifies switching data processing services.
- While celebrated as a milestone, concerns arise about potential limitations on innovation and consumer choice.
On Wednesday, June 28, AFP reported that the European Union (EU) has achieved a significant breakthrough in empowering users and enhancing data control with a new agreement. Negotiators from the European Council and the European Parliament recently struck a deal on the data act, proposed by the EU’s executive arm in February 2022. This agreement, set to come into force from 2025, will provide users with greater access to their data and more control over its use by companies.
The new law aims to address the explosion of available data in the digital age and ensure that European citizens regain control over their personal information. By facilitating data sharing between customers, companies, and other firms, the EU intends to break the previous barriers that limited user access to their own data. The legislation also introduces safeguards against unlawful data transfers by cloud service providers and simplifies the process of switching data processing services.
Sweden’s minister for public administration, Erik Slottner, expressed optimism about the impact of the data act, stating that it will unlock the economic and societal potential of data and technologies, contributing to the development of an internal market for data. Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, hailed the agreement as a “milestone” that will reshape the digital landscape and lead to a thriving and innovative data economy.
While the data act has been celebrated as a significant achievement, not everyone is pleased with the new regulations. The technology industry, represented by the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), has expressed concerns about potential limitations on data-driven innovation and consumer choice. Alexandre Roure, CCIA Europe’s public policy director, argued that the law does not go far enough in enabling responsible data sharing and allowing users to have full control over their exported data.
European Consumer Organization’s deputy director general, Ursula Pachl, criticized the EU for granting excessive flexibility to companies, potentially preventing consumers from sharing data with other service providers. Despite some criticisms, the EU remains committed to shaping the digital space and is concurrently preparing comprehensive legislation to regulate artificial intelligence, with a goal to approve it by year-end.
Credits: Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash
