Data protection regulation: the expert view

Quizzing the experts on the key themes that count most for marketers when it comes to data protection regulation.

The DMA invited several data, legal and marketing experts to take us through what marketers need to know about data protection and data protection regulation (DPR) in particular. You can view the videos by clicking through to the links that follow. We caught up with Alex Hazell, head of UK legal for Acxiom; Janine Regan, associate at Charles Russell Speechlys; Gilbert Hill, managing director at Governor Technology; Stephen Groom, senior consultant at Osborne Clarke and DMA solicitor James Milligan.

The latest on DPR

The battle to finalise DPR continues, but at last an end is in sight. 70% of the text has been agreed between the EU Council and Parliament, according to Rapporteur, Jan Phillip-Albrecht, the Green Party MEP leading the debate in the Parliament.

Our best estimate is that there will be general agreement on the final text of the regulation between the Council and Parliament around June 2016. After this there will be a two year grace period for businesses to adapt to the changes in law. DPR will be enforced from circa June 2018 onwards.

The business challenge

Businesses should take serious consideration of the changing times ahead and work on how they can best prepare for DPR.

Think of some key questions around how your business could deal with the raft of regulatory changes. How, for example, would you manage the move to explicit consent for one-to-one marketing? Or how would you gain consent for online profiling? Will your organisation require a data protection officer? The DPR will bring with it regulations that could demand structural changes to businesses - and it will pay to begin thinking about how can prepare for those changes now.

Compliance is key now and in the future

Businesses need to ensure that they are compliant with current data protection law. With a two year grace period once the regulation is agreed, time is better spent preparing for the new regulatory landscape rather than trying to catch up to the current law. Compliant firms will find they have ample opportunity to get ready for the future.

Additionally, businesses that are fully compliant will find it more straightforward to make the leap to the enhanced legislative environment.

Data protection 2016

Our annual data summit returns in February 2016. Led by information commissioner, Christopher Graham, this is an ideal opportunity for marketers to get the latest expert insight into the future of data law in Europe. Book your tickets here.