Privacy that powers the European data economy

The results from Assembly Research’s study into the economic costs of weakening privacy and data
protection highlight the often-overlooked economic benefits of privacy: strongly enforcing the GDPR and
protecting consumers’ rights is an economic asset for companies, not a burden.

This document summarises key data from Assembly Research's study on the economic costs of weakening privacy and data protection and BEUC's key recommendations for a truly competitive European economy that properly leverages privacy and data protection as a competitive advantage: 

1. Keep personal data processing based on users’ consent - not legitimate interest. 
2. Strengthen consumers’ rights to access, correct, transfer, and erase their personal data.
3. Improve enforcement of companies’ obligations to properly secure and monitor personal data.