Addressing the annual conference on Privacy Laws and Business in Cambridge, UK's Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has emphasised the need to bringing out necessary changes in European Data Protection Laws.

The Information Commissioner has stated that the existing laws are outdated and excessively bureaucratic, and these laws aren't in line with the modern internet age.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has commissioned RAND Europe, a research group, to assessing the current laws, and to come up with the key areas of improvement in existing structure.

Thomas also added that the research will help in designing more straightforward and effective laws, without putting extra burden on enterprises.

A representative from RAND has mentioned that the assessment process will involve small interviews and workshops, with a significant participation of small organizations. The group is expected to publish its report in April 2009.

However, Thomas admitted that the reform process would be slow, and the proposed changes may not be applicable till five years down the line, but the start can't be delayed any further.