The European Union (EU) has long been a world leader at shaping legislation to ensure the privacy of its citizens. 

The first binding international treaty addressing the need to protect personal data was signed in Strasbourg in 1981. At the time it was considered ground-breaking, but as technology moves forward the EU is looking to strengthen its data protection principles further.

Working on the general principle that is if something is illegal offline it should be illegal online too, new acts are being introduced in order to shift power from big tech companies and re-balance things in favor of consumers.

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On January 28 each year, the Council of Europe uses Data Privacy Day to remind the public of their rights and educate them on ways to prevent information being misused. 

A new declaration on digital rights and principles has been launched in order to offer a clear reference point about the kind of digital transformation Europe promotes and defends, including increasing safety, security and empowerment, allowing individuals to control how their personal data is used and shared. 

"We want safe technologies that work for people, and that respect our rights and values, also when we are online," said Margrethe Vestager, the executive vice-president of the Europe Fit for the Digital Age commission. 

"And we want everyone to be empowered to take an active part in our increasingly digitized societies. This declaration gives us a clear reference point to the rights and principles for the online world."

This focus on protecting data means the bloc is also hot on preventing information being misused elsewhere in the world. There has been a crackdown on the movement of European data to the U.S., where it may be accessed by other companies or even intelligence services.

Negotiations are under way to increase the security of those transfers across the Atlantic, with American officials floating the idea of independent judges offering oversight as to whether they think the collection of European data is proportionate and legal. 

The EU could suggest greater responsibility being placed on companies involved in the data transfer process. 

Whatever is decided, it's likely that big technology firms in the U.S. will be hoping they won't be forced to change their operational practices significantly.