Page 77 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

EU Stands by Its Data Privacy Rules in Response to COVID-19

Europe cannot win the fight against the are also flexible enough to allow us to the core of the medical work, which is
coronavirus without digital technologies, make use of digital technologies in our made up of normal investigations and
the European Commission said in a response to the pandemic while protecting testing. According to sources, EU Justice
video call with EU-27 Health Ministers. fundamental rights and freedoms,” she Commissioner Didier Reynders focused
But this must not come at the expense said. On 8 April, the Commission adopted a his intervention on building public trust
of EU data protection rules, which must recommendation to support de-escalation in digital tools. Industry Commissioner
remain a “global gold standard”. Health strategies using mobile data and Thierry Breton updated the Ministers
Commissioner Stella Kyriakides invited applications and a week after a common EU on ongoing talks with businesses to
Ministers, representatives from EU health toolbox on mobile applications to support coordinate the development and the use of
agencies and her colleagues Thierry contact tracing was also published. these tools but he also urged the member
Breton and Didier Reynders to discuss Kyriakides urged Ministers to follow this states to work together on digital and
the potential of e-health in limiting the guidance as it sets the foundations for a traditional tracing methods. Many member
spread of the virus, including contact pan-European approach, which will also be states said they are either developing or
tracing apps, remote consultations and regularly updated with new findings and thinking of introducing digital tools in
telemedicine. During the debate behind developments. The EU should establish their fight against the pandemic. Those
closed doors, these tools were widely its own “pan-European COVID-19 mobile include Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany,
recognized as crucial in helping to protect application” due to divergences in current Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Finland, Hungary,
EU citizens as restrictive measures are app developments across the bloc, the Italy, Estonia and Austria, but also
being relaxed and economies re-started EU’s data watchdog has suggested. For non-EU countries such as Switzerland
safely and sustainably, an EU source the Commission, mobile apps can play and Norway which were invited to the
informed EURACTIV.com. According a crucial role in breaking transmission meeting. Some Ministers underlined the
to Kyriakides, the potential of digital chains allowing for easier, quicker and more importance of interoperability of the apps,
data in healthcare has never been more efficient contact tracing than traditional particularly when citizens are travelling
evident than it is today, as aggregated systems based on interviews with infected abroad. Croatia, Poland, Finland and Spain
and anonymised data on population patients. Warning apps too can alert said they are using a COVID-19 self-
movements can help predict the spread citizens of infection risks and inform them assessment application that helps citizens
of COVID-19, evaluate the effectiveness if they have been in contact with a person evaluate their state of health and which
of public health policies and support the infected with COVID-19, helping facilitate advises them on what to do. Austria is
delivery of critical services. However, she the organization of medical follow-ups. using a tracing app developed by the Red
also stressed that these digital devices However, representatives from the EU Cross that allows people to track who they
must comply with EU fundamental rights agency for infectious diseases (ECDC), have been in contact with, which sends
and data protection rules. “These rules emphasized that digital applications are a notification if one of their contacts has
are a global gold standard, and they always a support tool and cannot replace contracted the virus.

Ethiopia Moves Closer to Liberalization of Telecoms Market, as Regulator

Enters Consultation Phase

Ethiopia’s telecoms regulator, The off an as yet unspecified stake in state East Africa. Vodacom Group, MTN Group
Ethiopian Communications Authority, has run telco, Ethio Telecom. The consultative Ltd, Orange SA and Helios Towers have all
said that it will enter into a consultation phase will last for 14 days and will expressed an interest in acquiring a license
period with would be licensees, as conclude on the 11th May, according to in the country. The Ethiopian government
it looks to finalize the rules that will a report by international news agency, has confirmed that the licenses issued to
eventually govern the liberalization of the Bloomberg. The opening up of Ethiopia’s international telcos will be valid for a 15
country’s telecoms sector. The Ethiopian telecoms market is an enticing prospect year term. The process for issuing licenses
government is set to issue two new for telcos around the world looking to is expected to be completed in the coming
licenses for mobile network operators in secure a foothold in Africa’s second most months, however the global Covid 19
the country, while simultaneously selling populous nation, and the wider region of pandemic has delayed the process.

77 APRIL 2020