DATA PROTECTION : ICT SECTOR FINDS REGULATION TOO PRESCRIPTIVE.

The draft regulation on personal data protection, presented by the European Commission on 25 January, is far too prescriptive, says the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector. The industry obviously appreciates the Commission's determination to improve harmonisation of national data protection legislations, which will help reduce administrative and financial burdens on companies. But the text is seen as imposing too many rules on companies in terms of how they collect, store and manage data (eg the obligation to obtain the explicit consent of the individual concerned before re-using the data, the overly broad definition of data protection or the obligation to provide detailed documentation on data and evaluations).

These are "onerous obligations, which could inhibit digital innovation at the expense of job creation and growth," commented Thomas Boue, director of European affairs for the Business Software Alliance.

The development of cloud computing is a good illustration. The sector has real concerns about seeing the development of these services, aimed at facilitating data circulation, hampered by inflexible data protection rules. The Commission is expected to present a strategy on this subject before the end of the summer.

The sanctions that regulatory authorities...