12th Meeting of the Central and Eastern Europe Data Protection Authorities

The 12th Meeting of the Group of the Central and Eastern Europe Data Protection Authorities, hosted by the Inspector General for the Protection of Personal Data, was held in Sopot from 17 to 20 May 2010. Delegations from Albania and Moldova participated in this year's meeting for the first time.

During the meeting, the new participants presented national data protection legislation and the role and functioning of the data protection authorities represented by them. The other participants, on the other hand, presented the main developments that took place in their respective countries after the last meeting in 2009.

The individual sessions addressed the issue of data protection in employment relations and the challenges posed by the rapid development of electronic media. In addition, new opportunities for cooperation between the data protection authorities of this part of Europe were presented in relation to new challenges for data protection.

Two declarations were adopted during the meeting:

The first concerned the further development of cooperation and support for new members of the Group. While welcoming the participation of Albania and Moldova, the declaration also invited newly established authorities from other countries and representatives from those countries where work on data protection legislation is just beginning.

The second declaration adopted referred to the ongoing work on the revision of Directive 95/46/EC of the Council and the European Parliament on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data. In it, the members declared their willingness to cooperate during the work on a new legal framework for the protection of personal data in the European Union.

It was also decided that the next meeting of the Group of the Central and Eastern Europe Data Protection Authorities will take place next year in Hungary.