On September 19, 2016, PaRR reported that the European Data Protection Supervisor (“EDPS”) is working on guidelines to increase coordination on the interface between data protection and competition law.  The guidelines would be released later this month.

According to the report, the EDPS will recommend the creation of a “digital clearing house” in which regulators from the different disciplines, such as data protection, consumer protection and competition law, could exchange views on trends and recent developments and even allocate cases  to increase the coherence of their activities.

As the adequacy of notification thresholds for mergers are being assessed and competition authorities increasingly consider the value of personal data, the EDPS reportedly believes the time has come for increased coordination among relevant enforcement bodies.