Brussels, Belgium, 26th October, 2023 - IAB Europe, a European level association representing a diverse membership of digital marketing, digital advertising and media companies, has released a positioning paper outlining recommendations to improve GDPR enforcement in cross-border cases. The paper is in response to the European Commission's ambition to simplify and expedite GDPR enforcement in such cases.
The association acknowledges the importance of ensuring a more straightforward and effective enforcement mechanism, and views the draft GDPR procedural regulation as a positive first step toward this goal. IAB Europe's paper outlines key recommendations aimed at enhancing the draft GDPR procedural regulation in several critical areas. First, the association advocates maintaining the one-stop-shop system as the foundation of GDPR governance, preserving the balance between national and European competences while avoiding measures that could weaken this mechanism.
Second, IAB Europe emphasises the encouragement of early resolutions, such as amicable settlements, to efficiently resolve cases , stressing the importance of facilitating amicable resolution mechanisms, like internal complaint systems. Furthermore, IAB Europe underscores the need for increased transparency in supervisory authorities' decisions, suggesting the inclusion of correspondence between supervisory authorities in the administrative file to strike a balance between confidentiality and accountability. Lastly, IAB Europe calls for the strengthening of defendants' rights to be heard, not only at key stages of the administrative procedure but also at other critical points, ensuring reasonable and proportionate time limits for their input. IAB Europe hopes that these recommendations will collectively help to better streamline and improve GDPR enforcement while upholding fundamental rights and fairness.
Commenting on the above key recommendations from the paper, Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe said "IAB Europe is committed to fostering a digital ecosystem that not only respects privacy and fundamental rights but also ensures efficient enforcement of GDPR regulations across borders. Our recommendations aim to strike a balance between transparency, accountability, and the protection of confidential business information, all while safeguarding defendants' rights to a fair procedure. We stand ready to collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen the foundation of GDPR governance and propel the industry toward a more streamlined and effective future."
The policy paper can be found here for more information, please visit iabeurope.eu/ or contact Franck Thomas, Policy Director, IAB Europe - thomas@iabeurope.eu / Helen Mussard, CMO, IAB Europe - mussard@iabeurope.eu
