Legal Definitions - EU data privacy laws

EU data privacy laws are a set of rules and regulations that protect the privacy of individuals in the European Union (EU) regarding their personal data. These laws are based on the fundamental right to privacy and personal data protection, which are enshrined in the EU treaties and charters.

• Data Privacy Directive: This directive establishes the basic legal framework for data privacy protection in the EU. It requires "opt-in" consent for data sharing and sets an "adequacy requirement" for data-sharing with non-EU companies.
• E-Privacy Directive: This directive supplements the Data Privacy Directive and provides a minimum standard for EU member state regulation of commercial solicitation by means of email and telecommunications technologies. It requires "opt-in" consent for unsolicited communications and prohibits the sending of commercial emails that disguise or conceal the identity of the sender.
• General Data Protection Regulation: This regulation unifies the data protection rules within the European Union and requires companies to answer to only one data protection authority. It also gives European citizens the assurance that their consent for the processing of their personal data is always given explicitly.

These examples illustrate how EU data privacy laws protect individuals' personal data and privacy by requiring companies to obtain explicit consent before collecting and sharing personal data and by prohibiting unsolicited communications and deceptive practices.