EU WHOIS Compliance.pdf

The European Commission is discussing with ICANN the compliance of the WHOIS system with EU data protection rules, particularly with the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) application on May 25, 2018. The Commission aims to ensure quick access to WHOIS directories for public interest purposes while being in full compliance with EU data protection rules. It underlines the importance of preserving WHOIS functionality and access to its information, which is used by various stakeholders for public policy objectives, such as law enforcement and intellectual property protection. The Commission welcomes ICANN's efforts to develop data processing models that comply with EU data protection rules and is committed to engaging in discussions with ICANN and the WHOIS stakeholder community to find a pragmatic solution. The Commission highlights the key principles of the GDPR, including purpose limitation, lawful processing, data minimization, data accuracy, and limited data retention, which should be applied to the WHOIS system.