Thursday 28 March 2013

Confidential discussions continue

It is evident that confidential discussions are underway between a range of interested parties, all of whom have conflicting views on the proposals for a new legislative framework for European data protection. Indeed, there are so many different sets of confidential discussions going on that barely anything interesting about them is being reported.

People are obviously so busy mulling over this stuff that there’s no time for them to write about what they are up to.

So, I thought I might add something new to the mix.

I have deliberately refrained from reporting any personally identifiable information to deter fellow bloggers or journalists from contacting relevant participants with a view to publishing articles on this development themselves.

An extremely useful meeting took place in a restaurant at the Royal Exchange in the City of London today. A very select group of diners discussed how best to improve the plight of beleaguered data protection officers, who were constantly striving to ensure that they still knew what they actually needed to know to do their job properly.

The discussion moved on to how companies who had little concept of compliance with data protection mumbo jumbo matters could better consider just what risk they ran.

A cunning plan was hatched.

This plan will see the light of day in the fullness of time, once the principal stakeholders complete their Easter breaks and return to work.

Who might be concerned at this development? 

Certainly not people who are keen to promote high data protection standards.

Perhaps people who hope that their sloppy data protection standards will remain unnoticed for a few more years.

The best bit about the event was that almost no one mentioned “the draft Regulation”. And the person who mentioned “the draft Regulation” very quickly realised what they were doing, and changed the subject.

No. Today saw a group of Brits considering a British solution to a British data protection problem. The answer won’t have to wait for any co decision procedures between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. It can go ahead this year. Not next, nor the year after.

More news on precisely what cunning plan has been hatched to address the issue under discussion will emerge later.

Meanwhile, happy holidays.


Note:
If anyone fancies meeting for lunch towards the end of April for a confidential sharing of information about what everyone’s up to and what we think is likely to be achieved (Regulation-wise), please let me know and I’ll arrange something in the City.


Image credit:
http://jolamble.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/shh.jpg

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