The 4th Global Cyber Security Forum HackIT 4.0 took place from 8-11 October 2018 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The forum gathers professional tech developers and leading security experts engaging in security networking, exchange of best solutions and methodology development.

Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department, presented the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, known as Convention 108, and highlighted the unique character of the only international legally binding instrument in the field, which enables today 53 countries to share common data protection principles.

He further explained the modernisation process of the landmark instrument which aimed at adapting the Convention to the new realities of the digital era and led to the adoption of an amending protocol, already signed by 21 countries. Convention 108+ includes stronger requirements, new rights and a number of other extensions aimed at reinforcing the protection of individuals. The modernised Convention 108 continues to reflect the same principles as those enshrined in the EU data protection legal framework and thus contributes to the convergence towards a set of high data protection standards.