Mobile Meetings Series: Protecting consumer confidence: ePrivacy and confidentiality of data

Millions of Europeans make phone calls, send text messages or rely on the Internet to keep in touch with friends and family, share their thoughts, photos and experience or to access essential services like energy or healthcare. Each time a person goes online, to get travel directions, to book a hotel or communicate via instant messaging, they entrust personal information to Internet service providers, telecoms operators or visited websites.

EU-wide rules to protect personal data are set out in the Data Protection Directive (1995) and in the ePrivacy Directive (1997, updated in 2002 and 2009) – which regulates the processing of personal data to protect privacy in the electronic communications sector..

The EC is now undergoing a reform of these rules to build a modernised legal framework which will increase trust in the online world and create the conditions for the European Digital Single Market to flourish.

The mobile industry is a critical enabler for delivering trusted services to consumers and increasing their confidence in the security of their personal information online.  Likewise, mobile network operators have invested significantly in the security of their infrastructure and technology to support the drive towards completing the Digital Single Market.

In the context of ongoing discussions on ePrivacy and confidentiality of data, this Mobile Meetings Series breakfast will focus on:

• How does the e-Privacy Directive currently fit alongside other legal instruments such as the GDPR or the Network and Information Security Directive?
• What are the key policy guidelines necessary for managing the security of the networks across Europe?
• What should be the priorities for any future legal instrument covering privacy and data protection in the electronic communications sector?

Event summary