On the occasion of International Data Protection Day (28 January), the Council of Europe organised an online event bringing together data protection supervisory and other competent authorities from different regions of the world to celebrate the anniversary of Convention 108, the first binding international treaty on data protection.
The event recalled the more than 45-year contribution of Convention 108+, to the development of international data protection standards and to the facilitation of trusted transborder data flows, while ensuring the protection of human dignity, human rights, democracy and the rule of law in an increasingly digitalised world.
Following the opening of the event, introductory remarks were delivered by the Secretary of the Consultative Committee of Convention 108 / Mr. Peter Kimpian, providing an overview of the objectives, global reach and ongoing implementation of Convention 108+.
The programme then featured a series of national and regional presentations.
The first presentation was delivered by the Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency (AZOP), with contributions from the 2nd Vice-Chair of the Consultative Committee of Convention 108+, Ms Anamarija Mladinić, highlighting Croatia’s initiatives and activities carried out in the framework of Data Protection Day. This was followed by a presentation from the French data protection authority, the Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés (CNIL) rappresented by Ms Carina Chatain Marcel, which shared its awareness-raising, regulatory and outreach initiatives undertaken in France and at international level.
The event continued with a presentation from Uruguay, delivered by the Regulatory and Control of Personal Data Unit (URCDP) - Mr. Gonzalo Sosa Barreto, illustrating the activities implemented by the Agency for Digital Government and the Information and Knowledge Society and reaffirming Uruguay’s longstanding commitment to Convention 108+. A further contribution was provided by the Personal Data Protection Service of Georgia (PDPS) represented by Dr. Lela Janashvili, presenting the national activities organised to mark Data Protection Day.
In addition, the National Privacy Commission of the Philippines, represented by Ms. Vida Zora G. Bocar, was presented, allowing the Philippine data protection authority to participate in the event despite time zone constraints and to share its initiatives dedicated to Data Protection Day.
Held at a particularly significant moment of rapid technological development, especially in the fields of artificial intelligence, automated decision-making the event underlined the crucial role of data protection supervisory authorities in addressing new challenges to privacy and personal data protection. The event concluded with closing remarks emphasising the diversity of approaches presented, the shared values uniting data protection authorities worldwide, and the importance of continued international cooperation and dialogue through Convention 108+. Reference was also made to the statements issued by the Chair of the Consultative Committee of Convention 108 and by the Council of Europe’s Data Protection Commissioner, as well as to the published compilation of activities undertaken by the Parties to Convention 108.
