Security is a key challenge for the social, political, and economic consolidation of the EU. During the last decade, the development of new security solutions has raised increasing concerns about their potential impact on the respect of citizens’ privacy and the protection of their personal data.
The security technology private sector, here represented by the European Organisation for Security (EOS) and its Members, has therefore recognized the necessity to start a dialogue among key stakeholders on new EU policies on privacy and data protection and their impact on the implementation of security solutions. Believing in this necessity in order to remain competitive in the security market while providing solutions that do not infringe EU citizens’ rights, EOS has organised a Working Breakfast on “Privacy and Data Protection: What Guidelines for Advanced Security Solutions?”
The event was organized under the patronage of Manfred WEBER MEP on September 15th 2010 at the European Parliament in Brussels and included a debate with the participation of Members of the European Parliament, the European Data Protection Supervisor, representatives from the Member States and the European Commission, as well as experts from the Industry and research centres.
Through this event EOS demonstrates its strong intention to explore ways to effectively combine privacy enhancement with business processes where none is seen as a constraint to the other and citizens’ protection and privacy are treated as complementary challenges. EOS has for the first time publicly presented its new Position Paper on Privacy and Data Protection issues, as well as its intention to produce a “Charter for Security Solutions and Services compliant with Privacy and Data Protection” which will be proposed for voluntary endorsement to EU technology and service security providers, starting with EOS Members. A dedicated EOS Task Force is working on this subject.
The Breakfast has to be seen as one of the first steps of a long-term process towards enhanced privacy and data protection in the development of advanced security solutions and services. As was expressed by the breakfast participants, the private sector plays a crucial part in protecting citizens’ privacy and personal data. Yet, a revision and specifications of the legal framework by policy makers is essential to help the private sector develop privacy and data protection compliant technology solutions and services. All participants therefore believe in the necessity and usefulness to continue this public-private dialogue to further explore concrete actions that can be taken.
EOS thanks all the participants for the stimulating debate and Mr. Manfred Weber for supporting the event. EOS looks forward to maintaining the dialogue and further developing its recommendations on privacy and data protection.
For information on the breakfast, please see the document list below.
The breakfast also inaugurated EOS’ new tradition to hold topic-targeted events on security at the European Parliament in recognition of the latter’s greater role as an indispensable stakeholder in the security policy-making process. These events should be seen as a new step towards furthering and implementing EOS’ constant call for an increased and more permanent public-private dialogue.