The Protection and Consumer Information Conference took place this morning, organised jointly by the Board of Consumers and Users (CCU) and the Spanish Agency for the Protection of Data (AEPD).

At the opening, the President of the CCU, Manuela López Besteiro; the Director of the AEPD, Mar España and the Executive Director of AECOSAN (Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition) took the floor, welcoming all those present to the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality.

During their speeches, they highlighted the importance of strengthening consumer confidence. To do so, it is essential to keep consumers informed, with the maximum transparency.

The purpose of these conferences is to offer a response to questions faced by the consumer when they provide their personal data in any type of transaction.

Participants included representatives from Consumer Associations who were also taking part in the Conference.

When referring to personal data protection, we should not forget that this is a fundamental consumer right recognised by the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights and established in section 4 of article 18 of the Spanish Constitution.

All these questions are in the process of changing. Until now, they have been regulated by European Union Directive 95/46. Nevertheless, the concern of European institutions to establish a broader legislative framework of protection for consumers has become clear with the approval of European Regulation 2016/679 on Data Protection, due to come into effect on 25 May 2018 and the subject of these conferences.

This new regulation introduces a series of new items including: strengthening the information which must be provided to holders of data, emphasising the questions which should regulate the contract signed between the data subject and controller.

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