Centro de estudos sobre a Mudança
Socioeconómica e o Território

In recent times the world has witnessed dramatic changes in the ways personal data are accessed, processed and used. Personal data are a key asset of the information economy. The amount and variety of personal information in public administrations databases and systems also escalates. In the European Union, this tension was first addressed by the Data Protection Directive - DPD (1995). This directive sought to guarantee a high level of protection of individuals in respect of their personal data protection without stifling the free circulation of information.As the use of personal data and related risks increase in these ways, the need to reassess the DPD is being acknowledged. This project emerges whilst the Charter of Fundamental Rights has just entered into force with compulsory effect.