The government has admitted that it will not be able to approve the adaptation law to the upcoming EU regulation in time, probably even if the necessary deadlines are shortened. Ministers are also the target of criticism from the Senate for their lax approach to the GDPR.
Two months until GDPR: adaptation law and Senate criticism
There are roughly two months until the General Data Protection Regulation comes into force. But it is already certain that the so-called adaptation law, which is supposed to prepare Czech legislation for the GDPR, will not be approved in time.
“In my opinion, it is not realistically possible,” admitted Richard Brabec, the environment minister in demission, on TV Prima late last week. The government will not consider the law until 21 March. According to Brabec, although the Prime Minister & Co. will try to shorten the necessary deadlines and to pass the law through the House in the so-called fast-track mode, the chances of success are still minimal. But he also pointed out that only six EU countries currently have an adaptation law, so the Czech Republic is not the only country that is running late.
Due to the government’s lax approach to GDPR, ministers have also faced criticism from the Senate. In mid-February, the Senate pointed out that although the regulation had been approved two years ago, the government had “fallen behind” in its implementation. According to the senators, the institutions and entities that are supposed to be affected by the regulation still lack sufficient information on what concrete steps to take. The Senate also called on the government to more vigorously protect institutions and companies from the staggering fines they face for violating the regulation.
Neither the government’s progress nor the Senate’s criticism will avert the May 25 deadline, however, as authorities, businesses and other institutions continue to try to prepare for the new European Union regulation. If you are one of them and encounter any unexpected problems in the implementation of the GDPR, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to advise you.