Privacy regulator to step up spot checks on EU bodies

"The EDPS takes note of the issue of lack of resources afforded to data protection within the agencies and will remind Directors of agencies not only of the legal obligation to respect the provisions laid down in [the Regulations]…but also of the obligation to provide the DPO with the necessary resources to carry out his/her functions," it said.

"I am pleased to see that compliance with data protection rules is developing in Community institutions and agencies," said Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx. "Further progress is however needed to fully translate those legal obligations in concrete technical and organisational arrangements that enable privacy safeguards to be ensured."

"In my role as supervisor, I will continue to encourage compliance in the EU administration by measuring progress, including more systematic verifications on the spot, and setting targets where needed," he said.