The aim of the European Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC was to establish a common legal framework for the protection of personal data within the European Union, and to ensure the free movement of such data within the internal market. The Directive was based on the recognition that the processing of personal data affects the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, especially their right to privacy, and that these rights need to be respected and safeguarded. At the same time, the Directive acknowledged that the free flow of personal data is essential for the economic and social development of the EU, and that the harmonization of data protection laws would facilitate the exchange of information and the provision of services across the member states. Therefore, the Directive aimed to strike a balance between the protection of individuals’ rights and the promotion of the internal market, by laying down the key principles, obligations and rights for the processing of personal data, and by providing mechanisms for cooperation and coordination among the national data protection authorities. References: Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, Data Protection Directive - Wikipedia