Brussels, 19 June – During its latest plenary, the Members of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) elected Zdravko Vukić, Director of the Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency, as Deputy Chair. Vukić replaces Aleid Wolfsen (Chair of the Dutch Data Protection Authority), who has reached the end of his five-year mandate as EDPB Deputy Chair.
Over the coming years, Zdravko Vukić, together with fellow Deputy Chair Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou, will work closely together with EDPB Chair Anu Talus to ensure the consistent application of EU data protection rules and to promote effective cooperation among data protection authorities throughout the European Economic Area (EEA).
EDPB Deputy Chair Zdravko Vukić said:
“I am honoured and thankful to be elected EDPB Deputy Chair. The EDPB is a prominent and influential EU decision-making body, which plays a key role in shaping a digital society that is in line with EU common values.
All EDPB Members work together closely to raise awareness of GDPR at both national and EU levels, to empower individuals to exercise their rights and help companies, including small businesses, understand their compliance obligations.
In the years to come, I will make it my responsibility as Deputy Chair to continue pursuing these objectives and I will be committed to enhancing enforcement cooperation to address emerging challenges with innovative approaches and tools.
In order to deliver these results, we have to ensure that the DPAs and the EDPB Secretariat, serving as crucial link between authorities, are adequately staffed. As Deputy Chair, I will devote special attention and time to this crucial aspect too.”
EDPB Chair Anu Talus said:
“I would like to thank outgoing Deputy Chair Aleid Wolfsen for his commitment and contribution over the past years, which helped us as a Board to grow together and achieve excellent results.
I also look forward to working with Deputy Chair Zdravko Vukić to face the challenge of the increasing number of tasks of the EDPB.”
According to Art.73 GDPR, the Board elects one Chair and two Deputy Chairs amongst its members by simple majority and through a secret ballot. Their term of office must be five years, renewable once, starting from the day of their elections.
EDPB Chair Anu Talus and Deputy Chair Irene Loizidou Nikolaidou were elected on 25 May 2023.
