ePrivacy Regulation

Purpose: The purpose of the ePrivacy Regulation is to ensure effective and robust protection of confidentiality in electronic communications. The regulation is intended to replace the ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EU with new rules that align with market and technological developments. Its aim is to complement the General Data Protection Regulation with specific rules for digital communication, but with the same supervisory authority and enforcement mechanisms as the General Data Protection Regulation.

Scope: The regulation will be particularly relevant for providers of electronic communications, providers of digital internet-based communication services, businesses engaged in digital marketing, and all the businesses that use cookies on their websites and apps.

Core obligations: The proposed regulation contains rules to ensure confidentiality in electronic communications, including rules for processing, storing, and deleting communication data. It also proposes rules for the use of cookies, where the main rule is the requirement for opt-in consent from the user. The proposal also covers rules on directory services and direct marketing in digital channels.