CNN News - EU justice commissioner says she's the boss over data protection

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding

(CNN) -- I'm in charge, confirms EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, answering critics of her proposed data protection laws.

Reding says she won't be swayed by businesses lobbying to stop the legislation, adding, "the political boss in Europe -- that's me."

Recent proposals to overhaul data protection rules give individuals' increased control over their own data. She believes that politicians are trying to strike a balance between the rights of individuals to privacy and the right of companies to do their business.

"The new package on data protection is first and foremost to open the market," says Reding. She believes that the current situation, in which the EU's 27 member states have their own, conflicting rules, is damaging to business.

She says: "We have a huge opportunity in Europe, a huge market, 27 member states, 500 million people, and we have barriers in this market because everyone goes for their own rules -- 27 conflicting rules.

"It costs a hell of a lot of money, so I said stop it. We scrap the 27 rules: one continent, one rule, one regulator that saves companies €2.3 billion a year."