Andorran Pirate Party Challenges EU Deal Over GDPR Breach

The Andorran Pirate Party is reaching out to its European counterparts to challenge the Principality's association agreement with the European Union. The group argues that the deal directly conflicts with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and related standards, potentially jeopardising the entire pact.

In a statement, the party described it as "absurd" to seek integration into the European single market while blatantly disregarding some of its most fundamental rules. Party representative Josep Guirao lodged a complaint last month with Andorra's Data Protection Agency (APDA). The filing alleged a breach of Law 29/2021, enacted on 28 October to safeguard personal data, stemming from the Encamp parish council's rollout of a video surveillance system incorporating artificial intelligence analytics.

Guirao followed up with a second complaint over the use of body cameras by traffic agents in the Massana parish council.

European Pirate Parties, which prioritise digital freedoms, transparency, copyright reform, data protection, and citizen engagement, trace their origins to Sweden's Pirate Party founded in 2006. They now operate under the umbrella of the European Pirate Party (PPEU). In Sweden, the focus has included overhauling copyright and patent laws while bolstering online privacy.