Review of the European Data Protection Directive

OBJECTIVE:

In April 2008, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) commissioned a review of

the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC, hereafter “the Directive”). In the 13

years since the Directive came into force, the world has seen dramatic changes in the way

personal data is accessed, processed and used. At the same time, the general public has

become increasingly aware of the potential for their personal data to be abused. Through

this study, the ICO wishes to examine if the Directive is still an effective tool for the

protection of personal data, and what possible advantages could be gained through any

alternative approaches.