Digitization is changing the economy and society at a rapid pace. In order to benefit from its advantages, access to data is essential for businesses, consumers, the state and civil society. At this year’s Consumer Rights Days in Berlin, representatives primarily from scholarship and politics will discuss how data access should be regulated, taking into account the economic foundations and the existing legal framework.
The event, which is taken care of in scientific regards by the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition under the leadership of its Director Josef Drexl will take place on 12 and 13 December at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. The OECD and the European Commission pointed out some years ago how important it is to guarantee the free flow of data for the development of the digital economy and innovation as well as in the context of numerous public interest grounds. Yet the scholarly debate on the need for new data access rules and their design has only started to emerge recently.
The Consumer Rights Days 2019 not only aim at intensifying this debate. In bringing together scholars and political decision-makers, they also strive to prepare the theoretical foundations for future legislative initiatives. Particular attention will be paid to the rights of consumers, who are not only interested in protection of their personal data. To reap the benefits from competition in the digital sector, consumers also have an economic interest in access and portability of data that businesses collect through their use of connected devices or digital services.
Find a detailed Summary of the Conumer Rights Days (in German) here.