Germany must take the lead in pushing through...

Germany must take the lead in pushing through reform of EU data protection rules, said outgoing European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx. Germany claims a special responsibility and role in the privacy arena, and the new German government can tackle the subject with enough drive and energy to lead Europe to a higher level of data protection, he said in a speech this week in Bonn. Revised data protection rules will define clearer responsibilities for organizations and more consistency and uniformity in privacy across online and traditional markets, so it’s essential that progress on the reform package is made before political and economic interests restrict basic rights, he said. Hustinx also called for an EU-level framework for net neutrality, saying the Internet is a key means of cross-border economic and social exchange. However, he said, the European Commission’s “connected continent” proposal for a regulation on e-communications will unduly limit Internet freedom because it gives almost unlimited rights to providers to manage traffic. Moreover, the large-scale monitoring and restriction of users’ Internet communications made possible in the proposal breach EU data protection legislation and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, he said. Users in democratic societies should be certain their rights to privacy and confidentiality of their communications, and protection of the personal information, are respected, he said.