By the end of July 2016 at the latest, businesses will no longer have to notify the Privacy Commission of the data they retain regarding their customers and users, reports Wednesday's edition of De Morgen. “In many cases, we end up with databases which are not up to date or are incomplete, as a result of which the facility is no longer of any use,” explains Willem Debeuckelaere, the President of the Privacy Commission. “In addition, there are only 140 information requests per year. This is very small compared to the effort involved in keeping databases.”
Businesses must, however, continue to comply with privacy laws. This law in particular stipulates that both customers and workers must be informed that data about them is kept on a database.
The Privacy Commission will be radically reformed next year. It will, in particular, be given the power to lead its own investigations and to impose fines.
For businesses, the abolition of the obligation to notify is a considerable simplification. In return, they must improve protection of sensitive personal data by, for example, recruiting specialist advisers.
(Source: Belga)
