History of data protection: 2006

Key developments

🇪🇺 On 15 March 2006, the European Parliament and the Council adopt Directive 2006/24/EC on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks and amending Directive 2002/58/EC, OJ L 105, 13.4.2006, 54–63.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decides in European Parliament v Commission of the European Communities (Joined Cases C-317/04 and C-318/04) on 30 May 2006, declaring invalid Council Decision 2004/496/EC on the conclusion of an 🇪🇺🇺🇸 Agreement on the processing and transfer of PNR data by Air Carriers to the US Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, and Commission Decision 2004/535/EC of 14 May 2004 on the adequate protection of personal data contained in the PNR of air passengers transferred to the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.

Also this year

🇺🇸 ‘Data protection and the consumer: who loses when your data takes a hike?‘, Hearing before the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight of the Committee on Small Business, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, 23 May 2006.
🇪🇺 The European Commission publishes its Communication Termination of the Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of PNR data by Air Carriers to the United States Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, COM(2006) 335 final, 16.6.2006.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decides in Segerstedt-Wiberg and Others v Sweden, on 6 June 2006.
The EU Network of Independent Experts on Fundamental Rights, coordinated by Olivier De Schutter, publishes its Commentary on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Article 29 Working Party publishes its ninth annual report, covering 2005.

Films

🎬 Das Leben der Anderen [The Lifes of Others] (2006), German film by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.

Literature

Arenas Ramiro, Mónica (2006), El derecho fundamental a la protección de datos personales en Europa, Tirant.
Guerrero Picó, María del Carmen (2006), El impacto de Internet en el derecho fundamental a la protección de datos de carácter personal, Thomson Civitas.
Buchner, Benedikt (2006), Informationelle Selbstbestimmung im Privatrecht, Mohr Siebeck, 2006.
Poullet, Yves (2006), ‘The Directive 95/46/EC: Ten years after‘, Computer Law & Security Review 22(3), 206-217.

Music

🎵 They Might Be Giants ‘Call connected thru the NSA’. Read about this song here.

In memoriam

Frits W. Hondius (1927 – 2006). First Secretary of the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Netherlands. Worked for many years at the Council of Europe, including as Deputy Director of Legal Affairs.