FT readers will have already seen FT’s report (4/12/11) that it  has had a sneak preview of the eagerly awaited  draft Data Protection Directive.  The most headline grabbing issue is the possible introduction of fines of up to 5 % of global turnover for privacy breaches.   If that doesn’t make data protection exciting, nothing will!

Remember that the new Directive still has a long way to go.  When the proposal is published officially and in full – expected to be in January – there will be much for data protection practitioners (in every sector and every practice area)  to analyse.

The likely headline issues and broad areas for reform were well signposted in the Commission’s Communication of November 2010.  Just how these broad proposals translate into the detail of the first draft remains to be seen – but if “stronger sanctions” in the Communication translates into “fines of 5% of global turnover” in the first draft, then the detail of that first draft is going to make for interesting and possibly controversial reading!

The UK’s regulator the ICO last month published a “wish list” of issues it hoped to see addressed, and has also begun its own blog on the future of the EU DP regime.

Datonomy will be tracking the progress of the new Directive as it begins its official legislative journey shortly.  With the festive season approaching, Datonomy would love to hear what’s on the wish lists of its readers and correspondents around the globe – at least as far as the future of privacy legislation is concerned!