EEP Group

Data Protection Vote – Cautious Welcome from Sean Kelly MEP

Published: Tue, 22 October 2013

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Grave concerns for health research, press freedom and SME red tape

Sean Kelly MEP, Industry Committee Rapporteur (lead negotiator) on Data Protection for the EPP Group, has welcomed progress on the Data Protection reform, with voting concluded at a high-level European Parliament Committee meeting last night (Monday) after 18 months of negotiations. However, he expressed concern about some outcomes from this week’s vote by the Civil Liberties Committee vote.

“I cautiously welcome the vote in the Civil Liberties Committee.  It has been a long, tortuous process of over 18 months of negotiations to get to this position.  I would like to congratulate my colleague, EPP Shadow Rapporteur Axel Voss MEP on his work in pushing the report towards a balanced outcome. 

“It is significant that the Parliament has answered the calls of citizens and industry and has taken the initiative in moving this reform forward,” he said.

“However, I am not entirely satisfied with the text agreed by the Committee, particularly on areas of such crucial importance as health research, journalistic freedom and cutting red tape for SMEs.

“I worked hard to prioritise these areas in my Industry Committee Opinion, however I am afraid they have been watered down by the Civil Liberties Committee negotiations.

“Nevertheless, I am aware that compromise is difficult and in that context, I wish to acknowledge the hard work of Rapporteur Jan Albrecht and all the Shadows and Opinion Rapporteurs in moving this dossier forward.

“I look forward to participating in the upcoming informal Trilogues with the Council and I urge European Ministers to come to the table with their position as soon as possible,” Mr Kelly added.

 

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