The European Data Protection Board has published its annual report for 2019. The report presents the main results of the Council’s second year of activity and the objectives for the current year.

The European Data Protection Board continued its work to harmonise the implementation of data protection legislation in the EEA. Data protection authorities in the region have stepped up their cooperation to ensure equal data protection rights for all Europeans. Increased cooperation with stakeholders has also supported the creation and adoption of harmonised practices.

During the year, the Data Protection Board published five new guidelines to support the work of treatment controllers and processors. For example, the new guidelines specified conditions for the processing of personal data collected through online services, as well as default and integrated data protection (privacy by default and design).

In addition, the Council adopted 17 opinions on the application of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Opinions concerned, for example, impact assessments and the relationship between the Data Protection Regulation and the e-privacy directive.

In 2020, the Council will continue to carry out its main tasks in accordance with the current two-year plan. The goal is to increase work on the data protection requirements of advanced technology in particular. Current issues include artificial intelligence, networked vehicles and block chains. Over the course of this year, the guide to data protection issues related to coronavirus has also become a key task of the European Data Protection Board.

SOURCE: AUTORITA’ PER LA PROTEZIONE DEI DATI DELLA FINLANDIA