Op 5 februari 2016 zal Hielke Hijmans zijn proefschrift getiteld:

The European Union as a Constitutional Guardian of Internet Privacy and Data Protection: the Story of Article 16 TFEU

in het openbaar verdedigen. 

Abstract: 
In a developing information data flow in an unprecedented way, enabling mass surveillance by governments and private companies. It is no longer evident that the rights to privacy and data protection are guaranteed. However, these rights remain essential in our democratic societies under the rule of law. The EU Treaties have provided the European Union a specific mandate to ensure protection, in Article 16 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This mandate is the subject of this thesis.
The thesis discusses the roles of different actors: the Court of Justice, the EU legislator, the national data protection authorities and their cooperation mechanism. A chapter is dedicated to the strategies of the Union itself in the global context.
The thesis underlines that the exercise of the mandate should be legitimate, in the sense that some democratic control is needed, and effective, meaning that individuals must benefit from the protection in practice. If the European Union manages to fulfil these two conditions, it shows its capability to properly deal with big societal issues, which is also important in a timeframe of widespread euroskeptics.
The thesis is the result of a research at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the University of Amsterdam. The author hopes to receive a joint doctorate at both universities. 

Plaats: Aula van de Universiteit van Amsterdam, Oude Lutherse Kerk, Singel 411, 1012 XM Amsterdam.
Tijd: 13-00-14.00 uur.
Promotoren: Prof. dr. N.A.N.M. van Eijk (UvA) en Prof. dr. P.J.A. De Hert (VUB).

Zie hier een samenvatting van het proefschrift.
See here a summary of the thesis.