Clear deadlines and faster action by national authorities in the European Union when there are disputes over the protection of personal data; better coordination between national authorities and coordinated notification procedures in resolving disputes. Citizens will be better informed about the progress of their complaints. These are part of the changes in the final agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to strengthen the cross-border application of the GDPR - the General Data Protection Regulation. The head of the Bulgarian Socialist Delegation in the European Parliament, Kristian Vigenin, is the rapporteur on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats Group. He said: “ I am proud that we managed to win more rights for complainants, clearer and more precise deadlines, more obligations for supervisory authorities to do their job. The initial proposal was published in the autumn of 2023 and, thanks to the input of the European Parliament and our group, it was significantly improved.“ The MEP added that unnecessary obstacles in the process of analyzing cross-border signals are being removed - more direct action, less bureaucracy.
Kristian Vigenin also pointed out that what was achieved with the agreement responds to the long-standing calls of the socialists for the real implementation of the GDPR — not just on paper, but with real protection mechanisms. “We aim to strengthen citizens' trust in the digital transformation — because it is clear who and how is protecting their data. We are setting clear rules for communication and cooperation between institutions, which will also make it easier for business, because delays and ambiguity are quickly avoided“, he added.
The MEP gave an example of the agreement's operation - if someone files a complaint against Meta (Facebook), the Irish Commission responsible for personal data protection will be obliged to examine it and issue a decision within a certain period, and not, as before, to delay for years. “I hope to make it easier for everyone who seeks their rights. The right to privacy and protection of personal data is a fundamental human right, without which many others lose their meaning. Today we have taken an important step towards a fairer, more responsible and citizen-oriented digital future,” concluded Kristian Vigenin.
To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/