EU and UK set out digital plans for coming decade

The European Commission has proposed a ‘digital compass’ to set its course for a digitally empowered Europe by 2030. The UK’s Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has also set out its top ten priorities for a technology driven future to ‘build back better’ following the Covid19 pandemic. European Digital Compass At a press …

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UK proposes statutory backing for Huawei 5G ban

On 24 November 2020, the UK Government started the legislative process for a new Telecoms (Security) law which will, when passed into law, provide statutory backing for their already announced policy objective to exclude Huawei (and potentially other ‘high risk vendors’) from the UK’s 5G (and other) networks on the grounds on national security. This …

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Ofcom sets 4 December deadline for UK 5G spectrum auction applications

In a notice published today, 18 November 2020, Ofcom specified that the days for receipt of applications to participate in the 2021 UK 5G spectrum auctions are between the times of 10:00 (UK time) on 3 December 2020 and 16:00 (UK time) on 4 December 2020. More detail on the upcoming auctions can be found in this earlier post.

Data export: EU provides more clarity after Schrems II

In documents published last week, the EU provided some welcome clarity on how organisations should address the invalidation of Privacy Shield as a basis for exporting personal data from the EU. On 10 November 2020, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted recommendations on ‘supplemental measures’, which can be considered to ensure compliance with the …

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EDPB guidance on ‘supplemental measures’ for data export

On 10 November, the European Data Protection Board adopted a recommendation on supplemental measures which might be used to ensure compliance with the EU level of protection of personal data when exported to third countries with an insufficient level of protection. The recommendation both sets out a process to be followed by data exporters and, …

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Prospect of increased regulation in UK for digital giants

The Competition and Markets Authority, the UK Competition regulator, has said it will act against Facebook and Google if the government doesn’t set up a digital regulator within a year. According to the Financial Times, Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said: ‘Plan A is to have a regulatory framework. If [within a year] …

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European Data Protection Board releases updated controller / processor guidance for comment

Are you sure you are a data processor? Introduction On 7 September 2020, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), successor to the ‘article 29 working party’, released updated guidance on the concepts of ‘data controller’ and ‘data processor’ under European Privacy law (i.e. General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR). Whilst this has already been subject …

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UK Intellectual Property Office seeks views on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property

On 7 September 2020, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) published a call for views on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the UK’s Intellectual Property (IP) laws. Responses are due by 30 November. The consultation takes place against the backdrop of worldwide interest in AI and the law by governments and regulators. The …

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Europe proposes lower voice termination rates

On 25 August 2020, the European Commission proposed a regulation to set Europe-wide (lower) voice termination rates of 0.2 euro cents per minute for mobile voice and 0.07 euro cents per minute for fixed voice. The introduction of these new termination rate ceilings are subject to: a three year ‘glide path’ (to 1 Jan 2024) …

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