EuroCommerce reminds retailers and wholesalers to be ready for the EU Data Protection Regulation

12 February 2018
by eub2 -- last modified 12 February 2018

With 100 days left before the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25 May, EuroCommerce is reminding all retailers and wholesalers to take the necessary action to be ready and compliant by that date, echoing the recent European Commission warning on the urgent need to step up preparations at Member State level.

Many retail and wholesale companies and organisations have invested significantly to put in place the means for complying with the GDPR. To help its members, EuroCommerce, more than a year ago, issued a guide "The new EU Data Protection Rules - A Guide for Retailers" aimed at helping its members in ensuring customers' privacy. The guide is currently being updated to take into account new insights and guidance from the authorities.

As part of the preparations, EuroCommerce and other key EU trade organisations recently met Commissioners Ansip, Jourovà and Gabriel to discuss GDPR and e-privacy. The Commission had just launched a tool to help companies that make use of personal data comply with the new law. On this occasion, Christian Verschueren, Director-General at EuroCommerce, said:

"We welcome the Commission's guidelines to help business, especially small companies, comply with the GDPR. EuroCommerce is currently updating its own guide for retailers on how to comply with the Regulation to include guidelines issued by the Working Party of national data protection authorities. Retailers are still working on how best to organise using consumer data for improved service and obtaining consumers' consent for the use of their data.

We will also be providing additional tools to retailers in March to promote data protection awareness and compliance support."

Moreover, GDPR is not the end of the story. Verschueren voiced the sector's concerns at potential overlaps or contradictions between the GDPR, adopted last year, and the e-Privacy Regulation, currently being debated in the European Parliament and Council:

"Decision-makers need to ensure that the e-Privacy Regulation and GDPR can work together seamlessly, rather than, as at present, risk obligations contradicting each other, which could cause real problems in how we deal with customers. Consumers want to have confidence that their data is being used properly, and retailers and wholesalers need to be able to implement both Regulations in a way which serves all of our customers' interests."

EuroCommerce is the voice for six million retail, wholesale, and other trading companies. Its members include national commerce federations in 31 countries, Europe’s 27 leading retail and wholesale companies, and federations representing specific sectors of commerce.

EuroCommerce