In today's world, personal data moves faster and farther than ever before. A humanitarian organisation operating in a conflict zone, a global health agency managing a pandemic, or a digital platform cooperating with international organisations, all handle personal data that crosses borders, jurisdictions, and legal systems.
Following a long-established tradition, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) trainees work on a joint project to mark the end of their traineeship. They are free to choose the format and topics. In doing so, they have the opportunity to shine a light on issues affecting data protection and privacy, on their own terms.
Second of July 2025, time for the first EDPS - DPO Network meeting of the year.
The 56th meeting since its creation back in 2004, over twenty years ago.
For those of you who do not know, the EDPS - Data Protection Network meeting meets twice a year to discuss data protection priorities and practices in the digital world. A platform for the EDPS to meet with the data protection officers (DPOs) of the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies (EUIs).
75 years ago, Robert Schuman laid the foundations of today’s European Union in his visionary appeal for a Europe bound by cooperation and solidarity. The Schuman Declaration was a transformative document that provides a blueprint for the EU’s long-standing commitment to peace, freedom and human rights, including the fundamental rights to privacy and data protection.
“For us at the EDPS - the independent institution in charge of supervising data protection matters within the EU institutions - data protection day is, well, every day.” However, for the rest of the world, data protection is mainly celebrated on 28 January every year. This date marks the signing of Convention 108 in 1981 - a milestone in its own right - since it is the first legally binding international instrument to protect privacy in the digital age.
The AI Act is now in force and the EDPS has put its plan into action.
In 2024, the EDPS proposed a correspondents network to facilitate AI governance in public administrations. Even though the AI Act does not mention or require an AI correspondent, each EU institution recognises the value of such a network and voluntarily assigned one.
Today, my office publishes its concept note on a Digital Clearinghouse 2.0, which encapsulates the EDPS’ proposal for a consistent, cooperative and coherent approach to enforcing EU laws regulating digital markets.
The EDPS and the Data Protection Officers (DPO) network of the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies (EUIs) met for the second time this year on 27 November 2024, at the Court of Justice of the European Union, in Luxembourg.
On 18th - 19th November 2024, the EDPS co-hosted the 74th Meeting of the International Working Group on Data Protection in Technology.
Also known as the Berlin Group - of which the EDPS vouches its long-standing commitment to - this international forum brings data protection authorities and privacy experts from all across the world to examine the data protection implications of emerging technologies for a privacy-enhanced tomorrow.
On 23 - 24 September 2024, the EDPS had the privilege of co-organising the 2024 edition of the International Organisations Workshop on data protection (IOW), in partnership with the World Bank, in Washington, D.C. It was the first time that the workshop was held outside of Europe, reinforcing our commitment to enhancing the global dimension of this initiative and promoting the application of data protection principles worldwide.