EU proposes set of digital rights to protect people online

The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a set of digital rights and principles that will guide the digital transformation in the European Union (EU).

The EU executive said in a statement that the digital rights and principles aim to give everyone a clear reference point about the kind of digital transformation Europe promotes and defends. It is also meant to provide a guide for policymakers and companies when dealing with new technologies.

Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, said the EU wanted safe technologies that work for people, and that respect their rights and values, including when online.

"We want everyone to be empowered to take an active part in our increasingly digitized societies. This declaration gives us a clear reference point to the rights and principles for the online world," she said in the statement.

"The declaration of digital rights and principles also establishes once and for all that what is illegal offline should also be illegal online. We also aim to promote these principles as a standard for the world," EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton added.

The draft declaration covers key rights and principles for the digital transformation, such as placing people and their rights at its center, supporting solidarity and inclusion, ensuring the freedom of choice online, fostering participation in the digital public space, increasing safety, security and empowerment of individuals, and promoting the sustainability of the digital future.

The European Parliament and the Council have been invited to discuss the draft declaration and to endorse it at the highest level by summer.