Top ten most-read posts of 2020

In the closing days of 2020, which has been an extraordinary year for everyone, we would like to present you the traditional European Law Blog top 10 of most-read blog posts this year. This top 10 provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the most popular blog posts, to offer an insight in the topics that have gotten the most attention from our readers, and to thank the authors who have contributed to our blog in these exceptional circumstances.

The list is clearly dominated by data protection issues, which emerge as the number one legal theme of the year. The CJEU’s judgment in Schrems II has provoked much discussion, on this blog and elsewhere, about the future of international data transfers. It is therefore no surprise that posts on this topic have been prominent amongst our readership. Data protection issues have also been discussed in relation to the Covid-19 global pandemic. In an attempt to break the chain of Covid-19 infections, many governments have launched tracing and warning apps, which has raised questions over data protection. Posts related to these issues have definitely caught the attention of our readers.

Without further ado, here is our top ten most-read posts of 2020:

10. A regulatory conundrum in the platform economy, case C-390/18 Airbnb Ireland

By Augustin Chapuis-Doppler and Vincent Delhomme

9. In Support of the EU Rule of Law and Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston – An Open Letter

By Sandra Hummelbrunner, Lando Kirchmair, Benedikt Pirker, Anne-Carlijn Prickartz and Isabel Staudinger

8. The Coronavirus Crisis and EU Adequacy Decisions for Data Transfers

By Christopher Docksey and Christopher Kuner

7. “Schrems III”? First Thoughts on the EDPB post-Schrems II Recommendations on International Data Transfers (Part 1)

By Theodore Christakis

6. Covid-19: A New Struggle over Privacy, Data Protection and Human Rights?

By Elif Mendos Kuskonmaz and Elspeth Guild

5. International data transfers, standard contractual clauses, and the Privacy Shield: the AG Opinion in Schrems II

By Christopher Kuner

4. What a Journal Makes: As we say goodbye to the European Law Journal

By Joana Mendes and Harm Schepel

3. After Schrems II : Uncertainties on the Legal Basis for Data Transfers and Constitutional Implications for Europe

By Theodore Christakis

2. The PSPP judgment of the German Constitutional Court: An Abrupt Pause to an Intricate Judicial Tango

By Dimitrios Kyriazis

… and with no less than 17,253 clicks, our most-read post of 2020 is:

1. The Schrems II judgment of the Court of Justice and the future of data transfer regulation

By Christopher Kuner

This year, the European Law Blog has seen its team grow, with Maria Haag joining as one of its editors. Maria has previously written some excellent blog posts, and is a lecturer in European Union Law at the Department of Public Law and Governance at Tilburg University. She holds an LL.B. from Durham University, and an LL.M. and Ph.D. from the European University Institute (EUI). Two editorial assistants have also joined our team: Jesse Peters from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and Marine Corhay from the University of Liège (ULiège).

We would like to thank all of our readers for their interest in our blog, and all contributors for their efforts to give their views on important developments of EU law. We look forward to receiving many exciting new contributions in the coming year, which you can send to us through email (at [email protected]). We wish you all a happy, safe, and healthy 2021!