AZOP Organized the 30th Anniversary Conference of European Data Protection Authorities (Spring Conference)
Under the patronage of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Personal Data Protection Agency (AZOP) organized the 30th anniversary conference of European data protection authorities (the Spring Conference) on May 19 and 20, 2022, in Cavtat.
In the presence of high-level guests, including the Chair of the European Data Protection Board, Andrea Jelinek; the European Data Protection Supervisor, Wojciech Wiewiorowski; the envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Mato Franković; the envoy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Sanjin Rukavina; and 130 representatives from more than 40 countries, Zdravko Vukić, Director of the Personal Data Protection Agency, stated at the ceremonial opening of the Conference:
“This conference ensures that we can conduct a collective discussion at the European level and work together toward the same goal. Our shared goal is the effective protection of the rights and interests of European citizens in the field of data protection in a constantly changing world, in which the free flow of personal data between countries plays a key role for the socio-economic growth of Europe. Another element that unites us and makes the Spring Conference unique is the fact that we are all connected by a human-rights-based approach.”
The envoy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, Sanjin Rukavina, emphasized the importance of holding the Spring Conference:
“The advancement of personal data protection at the European and global level, to which this Conference contributes, is of exceptional importance for the Republic of Croatia in the context of preserving European democratic values, developing the single digital market, and ensuring the free flow of data between EU member states and third countries.”
The envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Member of Parliament and Mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, welcomed participants and stated:
“Proper management and protection of personal data is one of the most important concerns in today’s digital world and requires constant attention and improvement, as new challenges regularly arise. I sincerely hope that the experiences shared between national authorities and participants will help improve the entire field of data protection.”
The supervisory authorities of member states adopted a Resolution on the need for the rapid ratification of “Convention 108+. The resolution calls on the governments of Council of Europe member states, third-country governments, and the European Union to accelerate the process of signing and ratifying Convention 108+.
Convention 108, more precisely the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, is the only legally binding multilateral treaty at the international level for the protection of personal data. The Convention was modernized in May 2018 through an amending protocol and is approaching the key deadline for its entry into force in 2023.
At the Conference, the regulatory authorities also adopted a Resolution to ensure the continued continuity of the work of the Spring Conference, guaranteeing that it can continue to be successfully conducted on all priority issues of interest to European data protection regulatory bodies.
At this year’s Spring Conference, the European Data Protection Board was admitted as an observer, while the European Space Agency and the Data Protection Commissioner of Lower Saxony were admitted as full members.
The Conference was a unique opportunity for supervisory authorities from 40 European countries to discuss and exchange experiences on the challenges they face, best practices, and strategies for improving the field of data protection in Europe.
The Spring Conference is a closed event in which only members and observers may participate, consisting of 62 national and regional data protection authorities, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Europol, Eurojust, and the Council of Europe. The Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency has been a full member of the Conference with voting rights since 2008, and for the first time hosted this important event. It was an exceptional opportunity for supervisory authorities to discuss the challenges they face, best practices, and strategies, and to exchange experiences and gain new knowledge through panels and lectures by the most eminent data protection experts.
