The UK's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner, has called for European data protection laws to be reformed to make them more business-friendly.

Speaking at the annual Privacy Laws and Business conference in Cambridge, the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, said that existing legislation was out-dated and increasingly ill-suited to the internet age.

"It is high time the law is reviewed and updated for the modern world," he said.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has hired research group Rand Europe to undertake an assessment of European data protection laws and identify avenues for reform, with a focus on enhancing consumers' rights while simultaneously reducing the burden on enterprises.

"This research will help identify ways we can make the law more straightforward and more effective in practice, but less burdensome for organisations," added Thomas.