Ahead of the EU Telecommunications Council on 8 June, where the EU draft e-Privacy Regulation (ePR) will be discussed, a group of 57 digital industry associations has sent a joint letter to EU Ministers urging them to ensure consistency between the e-Privacy Regulation and the recently introduced General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which came into force on 25 May.

The industry initiative – which was coordinated by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) – calls on EU Ministers to ensure that EU privacy rules are consistent to enable a high-level of privacy protection for consumers and legal clarity for businesses with regards to data processing and enforcement.

“Following the recent privacy scandals it is crucial that the EU restores consumer trust and reassure consumers that their data is being protected and processed responsibly by digital companies. The recent introduction of the GDPR is a significant milestone in helping to rebuild that trust. It is therefore essential that additional e-privacy rules should be consistent with the GDPR so as to avoid legal uncertainty for both business and consumers” – Mr. Maarten Haijer, Secretary General, EGBA.