Cybersecurity in European Union Economies

Abstract

While many privacy advocates consider the EU’s data privacy standards defensible and preferable, critics have been concerned that these standards fail to take into account the context of a changing technological landscape. This chapter reviews the key elements and strengths and weaknesses of EU data protection regulations. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of the EU emphasis on privacy protection as a fundamental human right. It highlights the new EU CS strategy and outlines the differences with the U.S. CS approach. It discusses EU regulations’ impact on CSPs and users, and key players and driving forces shaping the revision and future of the regulations. It also provides a detailed analysis and assessment of regulatory and enforcement programs for cloud security in the EU’s five biggest economies, whose experiences may act as a guide and template for other economies in the EU and elsewhere.