EU General Data Protection Regulation

On December 17, 2015, new EU data protection legislation was informally passed in the form of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The rules are expected to become official in the spring of 2016, at which point companies will have two years to adjust to the new regulations. According to a press release from the European Parliament: “Clear and affirmative consent to data processing, the right to be forgotten and strong fines for firms breaking the rules” are some of the new features. The hope is that by having one unified set of rules and processes in place, clarity will be increased for both firms and individuals.