Germany

The newly published German Coalition Agreement 2025 (CA 2025), German language version available here, outlines a digital agenda of the new German government, aimed at strengthening Germany’s position as a leader in digital innovation, data protection, and technological sovereignty. This GT Alert provides an overview of key digital policy areas that the CA 2025

On Jan. 16, 2025 the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) published guidelines on the pseudonymization of personal data for public consultation. The Berlin Data Protection Commissioner (BlnBDI) played a leading role in drafting these guidelines (see the German-language BlnBDI press release). The consultation is ongoing, and comments can be submitted until Feb. 28, 2025

The new Telecommunications Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG) (link in German) is the result of a clean-up campaign in German data protection law. The TTDSG, which became effective 1 December 2021, merges the data protection regulations in telemedia and telecommunications law that were previously scattered across a wide array of German laws.

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It depends.

Many lawyers (and clients) incorrectly assume that attorneys must be processors because they are service providers of their clients. In some situations, a service provider has a role in determining the purposes and means of processing; when that occurs the service provider is, like its client, considered a “controller” or a “joint controller.”

On August 27, 2020 the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) announced that it approved the first ‘code of conduct’ in the Netherlands, the Data Pro Code. The Data Pro Code was drafted by NL Digital, the Dutch industry association for organizations in the ICT sector in the Netherlands.

What is a ‘Code of

EDPB says that cookie walls require a tracking-free alternative (not necessarily free of charge) and the German Federal Supreme Court rules against opt-out consent for tracking cookies under German law

Introduction

In 2019, various EU member states issued guidance as to whether opt-in consent is necessary for non-essential cookies, with some guidance suggesting opt-in

While many are still digesting the changes brought about by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a new privacy regulation is already on its way. The Regulation Concerning the Respect for Private Life and the Protection of Personal Data in Electronic Communications – in short, the ePrivacy Regulation  – is currently a