EU Debates Which Nation Will Regulate Web Privacy

Which European regulator will have the final say in enforcing online privacy rules?

Under proposals, companies will be able to operate throughout the region if they fulfill the requirements -- and the interpretation -- of European rules from only one country’s privacy authority. Companies currently must comply with the regulator in each of the 28 countries in the union in which they operate. Lawmakers in favor of the proposals say that leaving the oversight with one country’s office gives companies more clarity about the rules. But consumer groups in Europe have warned that if the current proposal stands, technology companies -- including American giants like Microsoft, Amazon and Google -- could set up shop in the European country with the most lenient interpretation of data privacy.