Microsoft warns of dangers of non-compliance with EU GDPR

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MICROSOFT has advised businesses in Nigeria to pay attention to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Mr John Edokpolor, Lead, Commercial Attorney, Microsoft Middle East and Africa Emerging Markets, said in Lagos at the weekend, that May 25 is the deadline for compliance with the regulation.

Edokpolor spoke at a  media briefing.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union. It addresses the export of personal data outside the EU. The GDPR aims primarily to give control back to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU.

When the GDPR takes effect, it will replace the 1995 Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46/EC). It was adopted on 27  April 2016. It becomes enforceable from 25, May 2018, after a two-year transition period.

Unlike a directive, it does not require national governments to pass any enabling legislation and so it is directly binding and applicable.

According to Edokpolor, failure to adhere to GDPR requirements can prevent trade and other dealings with EU businesses after the deadline.

“The new legislation is a milestone on a journey into a new era, where data is the fuel powering companies of all shapes and sizes, from all sectors.

“GDPR is a new European law designed to protect the privacy of citizens by setting new standards in terms of how personal data is handled.

“As the law affects any organisation with ties to Europe, it is relevant to businesses around the world,” he said.

Edokpolor said that as companies increasingly embrace the cloud, they have an unprecedented ability to capture and store massive amounts of data.

He said that advancement in business intelligence technology had given organisations the ability to pull insights from data predictive in nature.

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