Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

New data rules to ease burden on small businesses

Britain has set out a new data protection regime on Friday that diverges from EU regulations, which it says will ease the burden of compliance on businesses and reduce the number of annoying cookie pop-ups that plague consumers online.

The government said it believed the new rules would not stop the free flow of data with the European Union and lawyers said Britain was adopting incremental reform.


Britain's data regulations since Brexit have mirrored the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the comprehensive legislation adopted in the bloc in 2016.

In return the EU recognised Britain's standards - a process called adequacy - that enabled the seamless flow of data to continue.

The European Commission (EC) said in August "it would closely monitor any developments to the UK's rules", adding that adequacy could be suspended, terminated or amended if changes resulted in an unacceptable level of protection.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said the reforms would "make it easier for businesses and researchers to unlock the power of data" as well as retaining a "global gold standard for data protection".

For example, the bill will remove the need for small businesses to have a Data Protection Officer and to undertake lengthy impact assessments, it said, with a privacy management programme used to the same end.

It will also include tougher fines for firms hounding people with nuisance calls.

Britain said the EC had itself made clear that adequacy decisions did not require countries to have the same rules.

"Our view is that these reforms are fully compatible with maintaining the free flow of personal data from Europe," a government spokesperson said.

Linklaters technology lawyer Peter Church said the government had rejected the idea of replacing GDPR with an entirely new framework and instead opted for incremental reform of the current framework.

"This is good news for data flows between the EU and the UK, as these more modest reforms mean the EU Commission is less likely to revoke the UK's adequacy finding, which would have caused significant disruption," he said.

More for you

 The Wholesale Group’s first tradeshow at Cheltenham Racecourse, bringing together suppliers and wholesale members.

Tradeshow saw 190 suppliers and 180 wholesalers unite for networking, deals, and industry growth.

The Wholesale Group

The Wholesale Group celebrates first tradeshow

UK's newest buying group The Wholesale Group held its first tradeshow since its launch in January 2025 which saw supplier partners and members come together to plan for future growth.

Held at Cheltenham Racecourse on Thursday (20), the event saw more than 190 supplier partners meet with more than 180 wholesale members.

Keep ReadingShow less
RH Amar's new 94,756 sq ft headquarters in High Wycombe.

RH Amar Expands with New 94,756 Sq Ft HQ in High Wycombe

RH Amar signs deal for new purpose-built HQ

RH Amar has signed a deal which will see it move to a new 94,756 sq ft state-of the-art facility in High Wycombe at the end of the year.

The move follows a period of significant growth and expansion for the UK food distributor and growth partner which has seen it achieve double-digit growth in each of the past five years, with new business wins including Weetabix, Dr. Oetker and Divine Chocolate.

Keep ReadingShow less
G4S workers protesting over pay dispute, risking UK cash shortage.

G4S strike could leave UK

Photo: iStock

Cash crunch: banks, ATMs, pubs face shortage as G4S workers vote to strike

Banks, hotels, ATMs and pubs are facing a cash shortage as more than 1,000 G4S workers vote to strike over a real terms pay cut.

GMB members deliver money to companies such as NatWest, Lloyds Santander, Tesco, Asda, Wetherspoons, McDonalds and Travelodge.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trading Standards enforcing new Tobacco and Vapes Bill measures in the UK.

Tobacco and Vapes Bill to crack down on illicit tobacco and vapes.

Photo: Nottinghamshire Police

Government unveils '£10 million boost' to smoke out illicit tobacco, vapes

Tighter and tougher protections to protect children and communities from illicit tobacco and vapes have been unveiled on Sunday (22) as the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves closer to creating a smokefree UK.

A new £10 million boost for Trading Standards will bolster operations in local communities for the next year, to fund an expected 80 more apprentice enforcement officers to stop harmful tobacco and vape products finding their way into neighbourhood shops and stopping underage sales.

Keep ReadingShow less
CCTV footage of a masked robber in a black Nike hoodie holding a knife at VR Supermarket on Kingstanding Road, Birmingham, during a robbery on March 20, 2025
iStock image

Birmingham convenience store robbed at knifepoint

A knife-wielding masked robber robbed a convenience store in Birmingham, forcing the staff to empty the till.

In CCTV footage seen by local publications, a man was seen entering the VR Supermarket in Kingstanding Road just before 3pm on Thursday (20).

Keep ReadingShow less