100+ DPAs gather in Morocco to discuss developing privacy issues
Data Protection Authorities from all over the world are currently meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco for their 38th International Privacy Conference. The DPAs and stakeholders debated yesterday data privacy as a driver for sustainable development, government access to personal data, the role of technology, adequacy, localisation and differing cultural and political frameworks.
Speaking at the adequacy session, Bruno Gencarelli, Head of the Data Protection Unit, EU Commission, said that consumers have growing expectations all over the world - companies view privacy more and more as a competitive issue. Regarding the GDPR and data transfers, he said: “The EU is not looking for carbon copies of EU level [law], but adequacy that is essentially equivalent. The EU will intensify international dialogues to further facilitate data flows.”
Giovanni Buttarelli, European Data Protection Supervisor, referring to the situation between the EU and the US, declared that there are more similarities than differences between the laws. “Our underlying values are the same.” He said that we need a common framework – many countries now have a DP law, but do not necessarily use the terminology of rights. He said that a third generation of DP rules is now needed under the Lisbon treaty. But European level case law also has implications, he explained.
The DPAs adopted the following resolutions during the closed days of the conference:
- Resolution for the adoption of an international competency framework on privacy Education - US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) abstaining
- Resolution on developing new metrics of data protection regulation
- Resolution on human rights Defenders - FTC abstaining
- Resolution on international enforcement cooperation.
PL&B will bring you more news from the conference in PL&B International Report.