Follow this link to directly register for the online discussion and to distribute the information: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9138593466141940482
My new online discussion series, “Europe Calling”, has started well in mid-December. The idea is to bring Europe closer to its citizens. The concept is simple but effective: Using a “Webinar” device on their personal computers, hundreds of people can attend discussions on European politics and thus participate in European democracy.
One topic that is on many people’s mind at the moment is the EU Data Protection Reform. Having had a very fruitful first discussion on that issue in German, I now want to invite English speakers to participate in the debate as well. Therefore, I invited the “father” of the reform, Green Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur of the dossier, Jan Philipp Albrecht, as well as data protection activists Estelle Massé (accessnow) and Facebook conqueror Max Schrems to discuss with you the Data Protection Reform. Together with you we want to assess the progress the reform brings and at the same time look at the hurdles we still will face.
Time: 8 March 2016, 8:00 PM CET
Place: Online!
Participants: Jan Philipp Albrecht, Max Schrems, Estelle Massé, presented by Sven Giegold
Everybody is free to take part from one’s home or office via computer, smartphone or good old fixed line. You can ask your questions via an online chat or get directly involved by posing questions and statements via your microphone. The speakers interact with the audience like in a normal room.
Please, register online to the “webinar”: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9138593466141940482
On Tuesday 8 March shortly before 8:00 PM just open the link that you get after the registration. Then download and install the “GoTo Webinar” device. You can then directly take part in the discussion. Please keep in mind that you will have to use a Windows or Mac computer, Linux is unfortunately not yet supported by the program. If you have any problems, or need technical advice, please contact my member of staff Felix Banaszak via felix.banaszak@gruene-europa.de or via phone: +49 211 93653011
For the background: In the late evening of 15 December 2015, the European Parliament under the lead of Jan Philipp Albrecht, the Council of Ministers under the Luxemburg Presidency and the Commission agreed on the reform text. On 17 December 2015 the Committee on Liberal Rights and Justice of the European Parliament accepted this agreement with a great majority of 48 yes to 4 no votes and 4 abstentions. Now the Council of Ministers and the plenary of the European Parliament have to finally affirm.
This is the first comprehensive reform of the European data protection legislation since 1995. In the future, the EU’s Data Protection Regulation will function as unified, strong legislation for all 500 million citizens of the European Union. It is supposed to effectively protect their privacy in the digital world and other spheres of life.
The regulation supersedes the patchwork rug of former single regulations in the 28 member states. It applies to the whole private and public sphere, only the sector of police and justice is excluded and dealt with in a separate new data protection directive.
Please find here the consolidated texts for the General Date Protection Regulation and the Data protaction directive for police and justice
Please finde here the 10 key points in English
I would appreciate a lot to hear many of you on 8 March! Also, I would be grateful if you could help distributing the invitation. As there is no limit of space, please make as much asvertising as possible.