Despite previous assertions to the contrary, the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee (“LIBE”) announced on Wednesday that it would not be holding its important vote on the Proposed Data Protection Regulation before the summer recess. A new vote has not yet been scheduled but is planned for September or October 2013.

As leading committee on the Data Protection Regulation, LIBE’s vote on the draft bill is particularly important and was expected to show the direction in which the Parliament is heading. However, the committee is struggling with the high volume of amendments proposed by its fellow Members of Parliament (totaling more than 3,000), on which it is required to vote.  The committee’s vote was initially planned in early 2013 but has been postponed several times (see InsidePrivacy European Commission Proposal for Data Protection Regulation Delayed Again, May 06, 2013; European Parliament’s Lead Committee for the Proposed EU General Data Protection Regulation Postpones Vote, March 21, 2013).

Growing Concerns About Overall Schedule

With the LIBE vote lagging behind schedule, the entire and complex legislative process now risks being further delayed. Without the LIBE vote, no formal negotiations between the two legislative bodies, Parliament and Council, can start. In addition, the Parliament’s necessary plenary vote can only take place after the committee has held its final vote on the amendments.Continue Reading Vote on EU Data Protection Regulation Again Postponed