Brussels, 30/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 30 July, the European Commission adopted new technical standards to help users of smart chips and radio-frequency identification systems (RFID) to comply with the European rules on data protection and the 2009 recommendation on RFID. A “data protection impact assessment” process has also been agreed. “Smart tags and systems (…) simplify systems and boost our economy. But it is important to have standards in place which ensure those benefits do not come at a cost to data protection and security of personal data”, commented the commissioner for the digital strategy, Neelie Kroes.
Thanks to these standards, consumers will, for instance, be fully aware that they are buying an article with a smart chip thanks to a logo bearing a RFID symbol, and retailers will be able to use the technology to improve the management of their stocks and prevent theft, in full confidence that they are complying with the data protection rules. In sectors such as healthcare and banking, where the use of RFID is a huge growth area, these swift changes will take place in a well-established framework rather than in a grey area, states the Commission. It goes on to call on companies and public authorities which use smart chips to: 1) inform consumers clearly whether their personal data will be used and for what purpose; 2) provide clear labelling to identify the devices that “read” the information stored in smart chips, and to provide a contact point for citizens to obtain more information; 3) conduct privacy and data protection impact assessments, reviewed by national data protection authorities, before using smart chips. Lastly, retail associations and organisations should promote consumer awareness on products containing smart chips through the use of a common European sign, the Commission concludes. (IL)