LEGISLATION WATCH- Data Protection Act with House: The Madbouly Cabinet has completed its final review of the Data Protection Act, and has sent it to the House of Representatives for discussion, CIT Minister Amr Talaat said, according to Al Mal. The proposed legislation was drafted in accordance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Talaat added. Cabinet signed off on the draft last August, and was due to introduce it to the House in the early months of the current legislative session, which kicked off in October.

Background: Among the proposed act’s key stipulations is making it mandatory for businesses to obtain user approval to share personal data, setting prison terms and fines. The act would also, if approved, set fines of up to EGP 5 mn for violations as well as prison sentences of up to three months, based on the severity of breaches. A data protection unit would also be established within the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA).

Tags: