>Fun fact: the e privacy directive (which defines the cookie rules) isn't actually passed yet and technically you don't need cookie banners how they are now. Purely informational banners would be enough, but the directive already _should_ have passed but was delayed, and since gdpr spooked everyone, everything and everyone is using cookie banners now anyway

The ePrivacy Directive passed in 2002. It was amended in 2009 to include the cookie rule. The ePrivacy Regulation which would codify cookie requirements as an EU-wide regulation has not passed yet.