Speaking at A&L Goodbody’s breakfast seminar, ‘GDPR – The Last Lap‘, Anna Morgan, Deputy Data Protection Commissioner, has warned that companies who ‘over-report’ and adopt an overly conservative approach to the GDPR’s breach notification requirements may risk enforcement action from the Data Protection Commission (DPC).
Continue Reading Over-Reporting Data Breaches to Data Protection Commission may result in enforcement action, warns Deputy Data Protection Commissioner
Digital Safety Commissioner to be appointed in 2018
The Minister for Communications, Denis Naughten, has confirmed that plans to appoint a Digital Safety Commissioner for Ireland (DSC) will go ahead in 2018. The DSC will act as an ‘Internet regulator’, with powers of enforcement and responsibility for a ‘notice and takedown’ regime, to ensure the online safety of Internet users.
Continue Reading Digital Safety Commissioner to be appointed in 2018
No Frontiers! – EU Consumers to enjoy cross-border access to online content services
EU consumers of online content services such as Netflix, Spotify or Sky Sports will soon be able to access their subscriptions while on holiday in or when otherwise visiting another Member State, due to the lifting of existing restrictions by a proposed new EU Regulation.
Continue Reading No Frontiers! – EU Consumers to enjoy cross-border access to online content services
Modernising Copyright – ICEL/TCD Conference
The conference on Modernising Copyright, jointly organised by the Irish Centre for European Law and the School of Law, Trinity College Dublin, brought together a number of interesting academics, practitioners and commentators, for a lively discussion concerning various aspects of the future of copyright law in Europe. Among the issues addressed were the development of a Digital Single Market (DSM) in Europe, the nature of copyright exceptions and limitations, and the position of online service providers and intermediaries vís-a-vís copyright infringement. Continue Reading Modernising Copyright – ICEL/TCD Conference
Big Mac stronger than Supermac’s
The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) last week published its decision in relation to the application of the well-known fast-food outlet Supermac’s for a Community Trade Mark (CTM). In a split decision, OHIM ruled that Supermac’s is not entitled to use its brand to sell fast-food/takeaway products or services or to use the brand as a CTM on certain foodstuffs (e.g. meat, fish, poultry, chicken, onion rings, hamburgers, nuggets or chips) in the EU. This decision comes following the filing of extensive opposition by arguably Supermacs’ biggest competitor, McDonald’s.Continue Reading Big Mac stronger than Supermac’s
Data Protection Day – National Data Protection Conference
Europe is today celebrating Data Protection Day, with this year’s celebrations coinciding with the recent political agreement for the finalised text of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (for further information – see our earlier blog post). One of the many events organised across Europe in conjunction with Data Protection Day was the National Data Protection Conference, which took place over the course of yesterday and today. Continue Reading Data Protection Day – National Data Protection Conference
A New Dawn -The draft General Data Protection Regulation takes a step closer to ratification
The draft of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took a significant step towards finally becoming European-wide law last week. The European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) approved the final draft agreed by the European Council and Parliament as part of the trilogue negotiations. The text is available on the website of the European Parliament – under item 3 of the Committee Meeting agenda. The GDPR, which was first published in 2012, has gone through a number of iterations and extensive amendment on its journey to ratification. The final draft, which is expected to be ratified by the European Parliament and Council in Spring 2016, contains a number of compromise positions agreed by the EU institutions in an effort to get the GDPR across the line. Once ratified, there will be a two year period before the GDPR becomes directly applicable in all European Member States.Continue Reading A New Dawn -The draft General Data Protection Regulation takes a step closer to ratification