EU institutions told to avoid Microsoft software after licence spat

guest · Jul 5, 2020

EU institutions told to avoid Microsoft software after licence spat
EU data watchdog claims Microsoft's contract terms make it difficult to enforce GDPR
July 3, 2020
https://www.itpro.co.uk/policy-legi...tutions-warned-against-purchasing-any-further

The EU’s data protection watchdog has recommended that public institutions hold back on purchasing any Microsoft software after identifying several major concerns with existing contractual terms.

Arrangements between Microsoft and EU institutions, spanning the work activities of around 45,000 officials, amounts to relinquishing their roles as data controllers over to the US software giant, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has concluded.
This has been deemed “inappropriate”, according to a report, given the role of EU institutions as public service organisations.

Alarmingly, Microsoft can unilaterally define and change parameters of data processing carried out on behalf of the EU, with these terms risking undermining the rights of data subjects, the EDPS report found.
Click to expand...

Once in an agreement with the company, EU bodies are unable to control a large portion of the data processed by Microsoft, and are unable to properly control what is transferred out of the EU.
There are no safeguards to ensure, for example, data protection standards are upheld if Microsoft transports EU officials’ data to a US-based server, with few guarantees to ensure Microsoft only discloses personal data as permitted by EU law.

“It is not appropriate that the data of people collected in the provision of services to public authorities is processed for their own purposes by these service providers,” said European Data Protection Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski.
Click to expand...

guest · Jul 5, 2020

Microsoft’s Free Rein Over EU Staff Data Sparks Privacy Warning
July 2, 2020
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ein-over-eu-staff-data-sparks-privacy-warning

Microsoft Corp.’s licensing agreements with European Union authorities gave the U.S. tech giant free rein to oversee data processing activities for more than 45,000 EU officials, the institution’s own privacy watchdog warned.

The staff and agencies using the products “had insufficient clarity as to the nature, scope and purposes of the processing and the risks to data subjects to be able to meet their transparency obligations,” the EDPS, which acts independently of the EU bodies it oversees, said in the 29-page report on its findings.

The criticism over the use of Microsoft products is an unusual step for the body, which keeps a far lower profile than EU data privacy authorities who police the bloc’s tough rules at national level.
Microsoft said in an emailed statement that the company is “focused on helping all of our customers meet or exceed their data privacy obligations.”

“We know that ensuring strong privacy protections in practice depends on tech companies, businesses, regulators and institutions all working together,” Microsoft said.
“We’re listening to our customers and to regulators, and will continue to make adjustments as legal interpretations of European privacy laws evolve. This includes alignment with the recent law designed for EU institutions.”
Click to expand...

Log in or Sign up

EU institutions told to avoid Microsoft software after licence spat

guest Guest

guest Guest

Log in or Sign up

EU institutions told to avoid Microsoft software after licence spat

guest Guest

guest Guest

Useful Searches