Yesterday I pointed readers to Privacy International’s newly revamped web site and their infographic on surveillance issues by country. On Data Privacy Day (Data Protection Day in Europe), it seems appropriate to also post their press release on the state of privacy protection in the EU:
A landmark EU-wide study of national privacy safeguards published today shows a decline in privacy protection across Europe and a steep increase in state surveillance over the lives of individuals.
The year-long study, funded by the European Commission and backed by a 600-page analysis of privacy in 31 countries, was co-authored by the London-based global watchdog Privacy International, the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington DC and the Center for Media and Communications Studies of the Central European University in Budapest.
The study includes a rating for EU member states and accession candidate countries. This rating pits Britain and Ireland fighting over the bottom of the privacy league.
Further information about the project will be found at http://www.privacyinternational.org/ephr
The EPHR project comprises three action areas: (1) Map European privacy laws and recent developments as well as summarise the trends in the light of the right to privacy; (2) disseminate information and publish it on multiple online and offline platforms; and (3) develop innovative awareness-raising campaigns to be launched at the European Data Protection Day on 28th January 2011. The country reports were also translated into native languages.
The EPHR project builds upon the EPIC and Privacy International publication “Privacy & Human Rights: An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Developments“, which is the most authoritative reference on privacy regulations and developments worldwide.
Read more on Privacy International