Lina Gálvez

Text proposed by the Commission

(3) Union digital legislation has evolved incrementally over the past years, in response to the rapidly growing footprint of digital technologies in the Union’s economy and societal dynamic, and in view of addressing emerging challenges and promoting business opportunities in the EU. Notwithstanding the Commission’s commitment to a systematic ‘stress test’ of the digital rules, along with other Union rules, which might lead to further regulatory adjustments notably following the forthcoming Digital Fitness Check, as well as other targeted evaluations of digital rules, immediate regulatory changes are necessary. Consequently, this Regulation proposes a first set of amendments to the digital legislative framework, aimed at providing immediate regulatory clarifications that stimulate innovation in the Union market, and that cut administrative compliance costs in particular for businesses, while also streamlining supervisory and administrative costs for supervisory authorities and advisory bodies. The amendments also seek to provide clarity to individuals.

Amendment

(3) Union digital legislation has evolved incrementally over the past years, in response to the rapidly growing footprint of digital technologies in the Union’s economy and societal dynamic, and in view of addressing emerging challenges and promoting business opportunities in the EU. Notwithstanding the Commission’s commitment to its duties as a Guardian of the Treaties, to a high level of consumer protection, fundamental rights and freedoms, the Commission proposed regulatory changes aimed at providing regulatory clarifications for businesses, while also streamlining supervisory and administrative costs for supervisory authorities and advisory bodies. This Regulation also seeks to provide clarity and maintain the highest standard of protections for individuals.

Text proposed by the Commission

(3) Union digital legislation has evolved incrementally over the past years, in response to the rapidly growing footprint of digital technologies in the Union’s economy and societal dynamic, and in view of addressing emerging challenges and promoting business opportunities in the EU. Notwithstanding the Commission’s commitment to a systematic ‘stress test’ of the digital rules, along with other Union rules, which might lead to further regulatory adjustments notably following the forthcoming Digital Fitness Check, as well as other targeted evaluations of digital rules, immediate regulatory changes are necessary. Consequently, this Regulation proposes a first set of amendments to the digital legislative framework, aimed at providing immediate regulatory clarifications that stimulate innovation in the Union market, and that cut administrative compliance costs in particular for businesses, while also streamlining supervisory and administrative costs for supervisory authorities and advisory bodies. The amendments also seek to provide clarity to individuals.

Amendment

(3) Union digital legislation has evolved incrementally over the past years, in response to the rapidly growing footprint of digital technologies in the Union’s economy and societal dynamic, and in view of addressing emerging challenges and promoting business opportunities in the EU. Notwithstanding the Commission’s commitment to a systematic ‘stress test’ of the digital rules, along with other Union rules, which might lead to further regulatory adjustments notably following the forthcoming Digital Fitness Check, as well as other targeted evaluations of digital rules, immediate regulatory changes are necessary. Consequently, this Regulation proposes a first set of amendments to the digital legislative framework, aimed at providing immediate regulatory clarifications that stimulate innovation in the Union market, and that cut administrative compliance costs in particular for businesses, while also streamlining supervisory and administrative costs for supervisory authorities and advisory bodies. The amendments also seeks to provide clarity and to mainain the highest standard of protection for individuals.

Text proposed by the Commission

(4) Given the foundational role of data in driving value-creation in the digital economy, and pursuant to the objectives of the Communication for a European Data Union Strategy, the amendments presented in this Regulation to the legislative framework regarding data seek to build a coherent and cohesive regulatory framework for the availability and use of data, streamlining and consolidating the data regulatory framework into only two legal acts, namely Regulations (EU) 2016/679⁵ and (EU) 2023/2854⁶ of the European Parliament and of the Council, from currently five different applicable acts. The amendments seek to cut unnecessary administrative costs and stimulate the availability of data as a prerequisite for supporting competitive digital businesses in the Union, while maintaining the highest standard of protections for privacy, personal data protection, and fair business practices, and ensuring core regulatory objectives, including compliance with EU and national competition law. _________________ ⁵ REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) ⁶ REGULATION (EU) 2023/2854 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2023 on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 (Data Act)

Amendment

(4) Given the foundational role of legally processed data in driving value-creation in the digital economy, and pursuant to the objectives of the Communication for a European Data Union Strategy, the amendments presented in this Regulation to the legislative framework regarding data seek to build a coherent and cohesive regulatory framework for the availability and use of data, streamlining and consolidating the data regulatory framework into only two legal acts, namely Regulations (EU) 2016/679⁵ and (EU) 2023/2854⁶ of the European Parliament and of the Council, from currently five different applicable acts. The amendments seek to cut unnecessary administrative costs and stimulate the availability of data as a prerequisite for supporting competitive digital businesses in the Union, while maintaining the highest standard of protections for privacy, personal data protection, and fair business practices, and ensuring core regulatory objectives, including compliance with EU and national law, including competition law. _________________ ⁵ REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) ⁶ REGULATION (EU) 2023/2854 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2023 on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 (Data Act)

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendment

(4a) The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provides for the establishment of an internal market and the institution of a system ensuring that competition in the internal market is not distorted. The establishment of common rules and practices in the Member States relating to the development of a framework for data should contribute to the achievement of those objectives, while fully respecting fundamental rights. It should also guarantee the strengthening of the open strategic autonomy of the Union while fostering international free flow of data. The data economy has to be built in a way that enables undertakings, in particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as defined in the Annex to Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC, and start-ups to thrive, ensuring data access neutrality and data portability and interoperability, and avoiding lock-in effects.

Text proposed by the Commission

(5) Acknowledging the iterative evolution of horizontal and sector-specific rules, it is indispensable to address also overlaps in specific provisions that result in unnecessary duplications of administrative burdens. This is the case in requirements across several rules for reporting following cybersecurity and related incidents, where digital solutions, as proposed in this Regulation, can bring an immediate relief to businesses across all concerned sectors.

Amendment

(5) This Regulation found it is indispensable to address also overlaps in specific provisions that result in unnecessary duplications. This is the case in requirements across several rules for reporting following cybersecurity and related incidents, where digital solutions, as proposed in this Regulation, can bring an immediate relief to businesses across all concerned sectors.

Text proposed by the Commission

(36) Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 requires the data controller to provide the data subject with certain information on the processing of his or her personal data as well as certain further information necessary to ensure fair and transparent processing, as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of that provision. According to paragraph 4 of Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, that obligation does not apply where and insofar as the data subject already has the information. To further reduce the burden of data controllers, without undermining the possibilities of the data subject to exercise his or her rights under Chapter III of the Regulation, this derogation should be extended to situations where the processing is not likely to result in a high risk, within the meaning of Article 35 of the Regulation, and there are reasonable grounds to assume that the data subject already has the information referred to in points (a) and (c) of paragraph 1 in the light of the context in which the personal data have been collected, in particular regarding the relationship between data subjects and the controller. These should be the situations where the context of the relationship between the controller and the data subject is very clear and circumscribed and the controller’s activity is not data-intensive, such as the relationship between a craftsman and their clients, where the scope of processing is limited to the minimum data necessary to perform the service. The controller’s activity is not data-intensive where it collects a low amount of personal data and its processing operations are not complex, which is not the case, for example, in the field of employment. In such circumstances, that is to say when the processing is non data-intensive, non-complex and where the controller collects a low amount of personal data, it should be reasonable to expect, for instance, that the data subject has the information on the identity and contact details of the controller as well as on the purpose of the processing when that processing is carried out for the performance of a contract to which a data subject is a party, or when the data subject has given his or her consent to that processing, in accordance with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The same should apply to associations and sport clubs where the processing of personal data is confined to the management of membership, communication with members and the organisation of activities. Nevertheless, this derogation from the obligations of Article 13 is without prejudice to the independent obligations of the controller under Article 15 of that Regulation, which applies in case the data subject requests access based on the latter provision. Where the derogation from the obligations of Article 13 does not apply, in order to balance the need for completeness and easy understanding by the data subject, controllers may adopt a layered approach when providing the information required, notably by allowing users to navigate to further information.

Amendment

(36) Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 requires the data controller to provide the data subject with certain information on the processing of his or her personal data as well as certain further information necessary to ensure fair and transparent processing, as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of that provision. According to paragraph 4 of Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, that obligation does not apply where and as far as the data subject already has the information. To further reduce the burden of data controllers, without undermining the possibilities of the data subject to exercise his or her rights under Chapter III of the Regulation, this derogation should be extended to situations where the processing is not likely to result in a high risk, within the meaning of Article 35 of the Regulation, and there are reasonable grounds to assume that the data subject already has the information referred to in points (a) and (c) of paragraph 1 in the light of the context in which the personal data have been collected, in particular regarding the relationship between data subjects and the controller. These should be the situations where the context of the relationship between the controller and the data subject is very clear and circumscribed and the controller’s activity is not data-intensive, such as the relationship between a craftsman and their clients, where the scope of processing is limited to the minimum data necessary to perform the service. The controller’s activity is not data-intensive where it collects a low amount of personal data and its processing operations are not complex, which is not the case, for example, in the field of employment. In such circumstances, that is to say when the processing is non data-intensive, non-complex and where the controller collects a low amount of personal data, it should be reasonable to expect, for instance, that the data subject has the information on the identity and contact details of the controller as well as on the purpose of the processing when that processing is carried out for the performance of a contract to which a data subject is a party, or when the data subject has given his or her consent to that processing, in accordance with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The same should apply to associations and sport clubs where the processing of personal data is confined to the management of membership, communication with members and the organisation of activities. Nevertheless, this derogation from the obligations of Article 13 is without prejudice to the independent obligations of the controller under Article 15 of that Regulation, which applies in case the data subject requests access based on the latter provision. Where the derogation from the obligations of Article 13 does not apply, in order to balance the need for completeness and easy understanding by the data subject, controllers may adopt a layered approach when providing the information required, notably by allowing users to navigate to further information.

Text proposed by the Commission

1. In the case of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the controller shall without undue delay and, where feasible, not later than 96 hours after having become aware of it, notify the personal data breach via the single-entry point established pursuant to Article 23a of Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to the supervisory authority competent in accordance with Article 55 and Article 56. Where the notification to the supervisory authority is not made within 96 hours, it shall be accompanied by reasons for the delay.

Amendment

1. In the case of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons, the controller shall without undue delay and, where feasible, not later than 72 hours after having become aware of it, notify the personal data breach via the single-entry point established pursuant to Article 23a of Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to the supervisory authority competent in accordance with Article 55 and Article 56. Where the notification to the supervisory authority is not made within 72 hours, it shall be accompanied by reasons for the delay.