European justice ministers on Monday agreed “in principle” to accepting a “one-stop shop” framework for organisations doing business within the EU, IDG News Service reports. The rule would set up a system whereby businesses processing personal data of Europeans would report to one data protection authority instead of as many as 28. French officials had called for a joint decision-making panel among data protection authorities, but Irish officials strongly opposed the proposal. Both Google and Facebook have their European headquarters in Ireland. Lithuanian Justice Minister Juozas Bernatonis said the aim is “to ensure legal certainty and reduce the administrative burden.” EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said the move will benefit the consumer: “A citizen who has a problem will address himself to his own data protection authority not, as is currently often the case, a foreign authority.” In a report for Out-Law.com, one expert said a “one-stop shop” framework without DPA enforcement powers would undermine intended data protection reform.
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