{"id":1499,"date":"2013-06-02T17:04:27","date_gmt":"2013-06-02T16:04:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cr-online.de\/blog\/?p=1499"},"modified":"2013-06-03T08:28:17","modified_gmt":"2013-06-03T07:28:17","slug":"albrecht-blames-lobbyists-for-delays-his-deputy-blames-albrecht","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cr-online.de\/blog\/2013\/06\/02\/albrecht-blames-lobbyists-for-delays-his-deputy-blames-albrecht\/","title":{"rendered":"Albrecht blames „lobbyists“ for delays, his deputy blames Albrecht."},"content":{"rendered":"

While the LIBE committee of the European Parliament (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) is struggling to work through thousands of proposals for changes and amendments to the EU General Data Protection Regulation tabled by the European Commission in January 2012, one of the leading committee members has openly attacked German Green\u00a0MEP Jan Philipp Albrecht who is the rapporteur on the Regulation. In an open letter published last Thursday, the Liberal MEP Sarah Ludford accuses Albrecht of „presenting a frankly untruthful version of events“ (see end of first paragraph in Sarah Ludford MEP\u2019s email response to the rapporteur, German Green MEP Jan Albrecht, 30 May 2013<\/a>).<\/p>\n

What Happened<\/strong><\/p>\n

Originally, the LIBE committee had intended to pass a final resolution on the Commission’s draft in late April. The final vote was then postponed twice („EU data Protection Vote delayed“, Lexology.com of 8 May 2013<\/a>). Presently, there are parallels to the twice-postponed opening of the new Berlin airport: No exact date has been set for the third attempt at coming to an agreement.<\/p>\n

The Accusation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Albrecht is trying to put the blame on pressure by „pro-industry MEPs and lobbying efforts by large companies“ („New EU data law could end up weaker than old one“, EUobserver.com of 29 May 2013<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\u201cSome groups in Brussels are now acting against what the European Commission has proposed on the basis of what the parliament has demanded for.“
\n(cited according to „New EU data law could end up weaker than old one“, EUobserver.com of 29 May 2013<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Defence<\/strong><\/p>\n

The blame game that Albrecht is playing has angered Ludford who is calling Albrecht’s statements „highly irresponsible and misleading“ (see beginning of first paragraph in Sarah Ludford MEP\u2019s email response to the rapporteur, German Green MEP Jan Albrecht, 30 May 2013<\/a>):<\/p>\n