On 10 November, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the Final Report by the EU-US High Level Contact Group on information sharing and privacy and personal data protection, which was presented by the Presidency of the European Union (EU) in June 2008. The Report defines common principles on privacy and data protection as a first step towards the exchange of information between the EU and the United States (US) to fight terrorism and serious transnational crime.

Today, Peter Hustinx, Supervisor, and Joaquín Bayo Delgado, Assistant Supervisor, presented their fourth Annual Report to the press. The report runs through the main features of the EDPS activities in 2007, notably with regard to supervisory and consultative tasks. It also emphasises the impact of the Lisbon Treaty that provides for an enhanced protection of personal data.

Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted a policy paper which sets out his role and possible contributions to EU research and technological development (RTD). The policy paper develops possible models of contribution, both in the preparatory stages of an EU Framework Programme and with regard to individual RTD projects.

The overall objective of these contributions is for the EDPS to promote and reinforce the application of the principle of "privacy by design".