The AM GDPR conference will educate delegates on EU privacy regulations which have the potential to prevent dealers from calling customers.

While dealers are focused on the new data protection regulations which come into force in May, additional laws surrounding privacy are also on the horizon.

The regulation on telephone contact with the public is governed by privacy law, currently the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), which will be replaced by the EU e-Privacy Act.

Toni Vitale a partner at Winckworth Sherwood, one of the UK’s leading  legal practices, and Simon Hinks, a senior marketing consultant, are both members of the TCC which has been set up to represent the interests of business in relation to the proposed legislation.

The pair will take to the stage at AM’s GDPR conference at the Hilton Doubletree on February 22, 2018.

Hinks said: “Dealers are rightly so fixated with GDPR and its imminent arrival but it would be foolish to forget the EU e-Privacy legislation is 18 months’ away which is set to impact how business is conducted in a huge way.

“Thinking we don’t have to worry yet is a mistake. It will be too late to lobby for certain elements to be adjusted, for example, its original guise threatened to remove the right for dealers to contact their customers even if it is to remind them their MOT is due unless the customer has given prior consent for them to do so.

"Unlike GDPR, the EU-ePrivacy regulation currently does not include being able to make contact on the grounds of legitimate interest, it is 100% opt in.”

Vitale said: “The proposals include giving customers the right to select certain reasons for receiving a call, such as a service reminder.

"But the permission is also likely to have a lifespan which we think is likely to be 12 months, clearly this will be laborious for both businesses and consumers.

“The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the data regulator, has already announced it is in favour of opt out but currently the EU are erring towards opt in, reflecting GDPR.

"We already have the Telephone Preference Service or TPS, but there is no doubt it needs tightening.

"If the government goes for opt out on calls, it will be a major victory for British business and TCC will certainly be pushing for stricter TPS legislation so consumers can be confident their privacy is properly addressed when it comes to calling.

“As a sector, we need to be talking about this now and taking action to preserve the right to call our customers.”

This session will explore how data and privacy laws affect day-to-day activity in practical terms in dealerships in relation to telephone calls, the form future legislation could take, how to prepare and how to ensure employees remain compliant.

With new speakers announced regularly, dealers should book their place early to avoid disappointment 

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