In November 2009 the European Parliament approved a directive on Internet privacy that, among other things, required user opt-in before websites could install cookies on the user’s computer. In theory, any U.S. company running a website that may be used by any European Union country would have to follow the rules or risk being brought up on charges by an EU country. The Federal Trade Commission is looking at the issue as one of personal freedom for advertisers rather than anything to do with the privacy of Internet users.”]
Source: https://www.csoonline.com/article/2129616/internet-privacy–cookies-as-a-weapon.html