Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephenson Harwood Data and Cyber Update, covering the key developments in data protection and cyber security law in February 2026. In data regulation news, the European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (“EDPS”) issue a joint Opinion on the Digital Omnibus Regulation proposal; and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) publishes its data protection complaints guidance. In cybersecurity news, Ofcom fast-tracks its decision on online safety proposals, as UK regulators...

With USCIS having now announced the FY 2027 H‑1B cap lottery registration dates, this is an opportune time to revisit the H‑1B registration process and highlight key considerations for employers as the registration period opens next month. As discussed in our January 2026 article on major policy changes affecting the FY 2027 H‑1B cap, this year’s registration cycle introduces significant new complexities, making early and strategic preparation more critical than ever for employers seeking to sponsor foreign national talent. FY 2027...

On 10 February 2026, the European Parliament, Commission and Council of the European Union (“Council”) have published a Proposal for a Regulation on the screening of foreign investments in the European Union (“Proposal”) which follows the provisional political agreement reached in December 2025. The Proposal is expected to be formally approved in spring 2026 by the European Parliament and the Council and is intended to replace the existing EU screening regulation. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the Proposal is...

KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) is being recognized for its support of small and middle market business clients with nine 2026 Best Bank Awards from Crisil Coalition Greenwich in small business and middle market banking. These national and regional awards honor Key’s collaborative approach that empowers small business owner-operators in addressing their complex financial needs and depth of expertise that helps middle market companies optimize business performance. KeyBank received the following national Coalition Greenwich 2026 Awards: Best Bank: Trust for Middle Market Banking in...

The Trump administration is expected to call on major U.S. technology companies and data center developers to voluntarily commit to a compact designed to ensure power-needy data centers do not raise household electricity prices or undermine grid reliability. The initiative comes amid a nationwide surge in energy demand, driven largely by the rapid proliferation of data centers that power the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Although the compact would be voluntary and details on monitoring or enforcement remain limited, it signals a...

The euro area defied expectations in 2025, delivering growth amid a challenging environment. Yet beneath this resilience, Europe has started to redraw its economic and strategic maps. 2025 ends on a good note The euro area delivered an encouraging surprise in Q4 2025, with 0.3 percent quarterly GDP growth outpacing consensus expectations and driving full-year growth to a solid 1.4 percent despite persistent trade tensions and heightened global uncertainty. Germany, Italy and Spain accelerated, suggesting underlying resilience across the bloc’s largest...

Why marketers need to rethink how they communicate personal data use  In 2026, modern marketing principles will continue to run on insight and trends from consumers usage (of products and services) and interaction (on social media and e commerce platform).   From understanding customer journeys to personalising experiences, to utilising customer feedback (often in real time), data analytics fuel the connection between brands and consumers.  As these trends become less like “big data” and more real time marketing assets, they also risk becoming personally identifiable information. Analytics and technology allow someone’s existence to be predicted from consensus data such as where they order their pizza from and what cars they are test...