EU Privacy Board Clarifies Overlap of Privacy Enforcement Rules

Companies that violate the European Union’s e-privacy rules could face additional enforcement under the bloc’s General Data Protection Regulation, according to an EU privacy group.

Privacy supervisors in EU countries can enforce rules on data processing, even in the context of activities that fall under the scope of the EU ePrivacy Directive, which deals with confidentiality of electronic communications, the European Data Protection Board said In an opinion published March 15.

The ePrivacy Directive governs rules on the placement of cookies on smartphones and other devices, among other things, and national authorities responsible for e-privacy would issue sanctions for infringement. ...