A Critical Assessment of the Relation of Information Freedom and the Protection of Personal Data in Today's EU Law

Abstract

This contribution to the debate on the modern regulatory framework for collection and transfer of personal data in networks and data basis addresses questions of necessary changes in the European legal system and its driving forces arises from my presentation at the Institut Grand Ducale in Luxembourg on March 14, 2017. The development of a broad legal framework regarding information rights, requires orientation with some basic guiding principles. Importantly in that context, law of information is not only about privacy and secrecy but also about transparency, openness and democratic government. This paper discusses and evaluates some elements of the debate and the judicial responses to the challenges of public law and information in today’s digital age.