site.btaForum Discusses Updated Personal Data Protection Rules

Sofia, January 29 (BTA) - The Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data updates the rules for the protection of such data in the EU and prepares Europe for the digital era, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel said on Monday.

She videostreamed an address to participants in a conference of experts focused on the regulation, and organized by the Digital National Coalition.

Gabriel added that the current 28 national legislations will be replaced by a clear legal framework and enterprises will have easier access to the EU market. It is also important to encourages SMEs, as well as other companies to be prepared for the change.

A social survey shows that 80 per cent of European consumers are not sure whether their data are protected well, Lilyana Pavlova, Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, said at the opening of the conference Monday.

One of the main reasons for Europe failing to keep innovative SMEs is precisely the lack of a common regulatory framework allowing them to develop freely the trust of their customers that their personal data are protected well.

The role of institutions and the administration in the process of improving data protection is also important, particularly that of local authorities.

When the regulation becomes effective during Bulgaria's EU Presidency this will probably prove to be the most revolutionary change in the field of personal data protection in the last 20 years, the Chair of the Digital National Coalition, Gergana Passy, said at the opening of the event.

Business, public administration and consumers are largely unprepared for this regulation, she added.

In turn, the Chairman of the Personal Data Protection Commission Ventsislav Karadzhov said they have launched an awareness campaign, which at this point is focused on four Bulgarian cities across the country.