On October 3, 2024, the European Commission published a report evaluating the effectiveness of existing EU consumer protection laws in protecting consumers in the digital space. More specifically, the report assesses the effectiveness of the following three consumer protection laws: (i) the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (“UCPD”); (ii) the Consumer Rights Directive (“CRD”); and (iii) the Unfair Contract Terms Directive (“UCTD”). It also identifies and analyses the main provisions in the DSA, DMA, Data Act, and AI Act that are of particular relevance for protecting consumers in the digital environment. The report is the result of the 2022 public consultation we mentioned in our previous blog post.Continue Reading EU Commission Publishes Report Assessing EU Consumer Laws and Paves Way for New and Stronger EU Consumer Law for the Digital Space
The EU Considers Changing the EU AI Liability Directive into a Software Liability Regulation
Now that the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (“AI Act”) has entered into force, the EU institutions are turning their attention to the proposal for a directive on adapting non-contractual civil liability rules to artificial intelligence (the so-called “AI Liability Directive”). Although the EU Parliament and the Council informally agreed on the text of the proposal in December 2023 (see our previous blog posts here and here), the text of the proposal is expected to change based on a complementary impact assessment published by the European Parliamentary Research Service on September 19.Continue Reading The EU Considers Changing the EU AI Liability Directive into a Software Liability Regulation
EU Commission Announces New SCCs for International Transfers to Non-EU Controllers and Processors Subject to the GDPR
On September 12, 2024, the European Commission announced that it will launch a public consultation on additional standard contractual clauses for international transfers of personal data to non-EU controllers and processors that are subject to the EU GDPR extra-territorially (“Additional SCCs”), something that has been promised by the European Commission as far back as 2022. The public consultation is planned for the last quarter of 2024.Continue Reading EU Commission Announces New SCCs for International Transfers to Non-EU Controllers and Processors Subject to the GDPR
Brazil Issues New Regulation on International Data Transfers
On August 23, 2024, the Brazilian Data Protection Authority (“ANPD”) published Resolution 19/2024, approving the Regulation on international data transfers and the content of standard contractual clauses (the “Regulation”). The Regulation implements the international data transfer framework under the Brazilian General Data Protection Law (“LGPD”).Continue Reading Brazil Issues New Regulation on International Data Transfers
CJEU Clarifies Online “Order Buttons” Must Indicate that the Consumer is Assuming an Obligation to Pay
On May 30, 2024, the European Court of Justice (“CJEU”) ruled that any button a consumer uses to order a service online must clearly indicate that the consumer commits to pay the price for the relevant service by affirmatively clicking on it. (Conny Case C-400/22) At issue was whether this requirement applies in cases where the consumer’s obligation to pay the trader is subject to the trader meeting a specific condition specified in the contract. The CJEU confirmed that the rule applies in such cases.Continue Reading CJEU Clarifies Online “Order Buttons” Must Indicate that the Consumer is Assuming an Obligation to Pay
NIS2: Commission Publishes Long-Awaited Draft Implementing Regulation On Technical And Methodological Requirements And Significant Incidents
Last month, the European Commission published a draft Implementing Regulation (“IR”) under the EU’s revised Network and Information Systems Directive (“NIS2”). The draft IR applies to entities in the digital infrastructure sector, ICT service management and digital service providers (e.g., cloud computing providers, online marketplaces, and online social networks). It sets out further detail on (i) the specific cybersecurity risk-management measures those entities must implement; and (ii) when an incident affecting those entities is considered to be “significant”. Once finalized, it will apply from October 18, 2024.
Many companies may be taken aback by the granular nature of some of the technical measures listed and the criteria to determine if an incident is significant and reportable – especially coming so close to the October deadline for Member States to start applying their national transpositions of NIS2.
The IR is open for feedback via the Commission’s Have Your Say portal until July 25.Continue Reading NIS2: Commission Publishes Long-Awaited Draft Implementing Regulation On Technical And Methodological Requirements And Significant Incidents
EDPB 2023 Coordinated Enforcement Framework on DPOs: What Are the Key Takeaways for Organizations?
On January 17, 2024, the European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) published its report on the 2023 Coordinated Enforcement Framework (“CEF”), which examines the current landscape and obstacles faced by data protection officers (“DPOs”) across the EU. In particular, the report provides a snapshot of the findings of each supervisory authority (“SA”) on the role of DPOs, with a particular focus on (i) the challenges DPOs face and (ii) recommendations to mitigate and address these obstacles in light of the GDPR. This blog post summarizes the key findings of the EDPB’s 2023 CEF report.Continue Reading EDPB 2023 Coordinated Enforcement Framework on DPOs: What Are the Key Takeaways for Organizations?
German Government Proposes to Amend Federal Data Protection Act
On February 7, 2024, the German Federal Cabinet approved a draft law (“the Draft Law”) amending the Federal Data Protection Act (“BDSG”). The Draft Law will now go to the Bundesrat (the legislative body that represents the sixteen Länder (federated states) of Germany at the federal level ) for its opinion and then to the Bundestag (the federal parliament) for discussion and, potentially, adoption.Continue Reading German Government Proposes to Amend Federal Data Protection Act
The CJEU Ruled that Supervisory Authorities Can Order the Deletion of Unlawfully Processed Personal Data
On March 14, 2024, the Court of Justice of the EU (“CJEU”) ruled that EU supervisory authorities have the (corrective) power to order data controllers who have been found to process personal data unlawfully to erase such personal data, even if the data subjects have not requested the erasure. (Case C‑46/23)Continue Reading The CJEU Ruled that Supervisory Authorities Can Order the Deletion of Unlawfully Processed Personal Data
The Cyber Resilience Act is One Step Closer to Becoming Law
Yesterday, the European Parliament approved the Cyber Resilience Act (“CRA”), which sets out cybersecurity requirements for “products with digital elements” (“PDEs”) placed on the EU market. The term PDE is defined broadly to include both hardware and software products, such as antivirus software, VPNs, smart home devices, connected toys, and wearables. The approved text is available here.Continue Reading The Cyber Resilience Act is One Step Closer to Becoming Law