Deputy Chair of the European Data Protection Board and Director of the Agency, Zdravko Vukić, participated in an international conference in Budapest marking the 30th anniversary of the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, which was opened by Tamás Sulyok, President of the Republic of Hungary.
As Deputy Chair of the European Data Protection Board, Vukić spoke about the role of the EDPB and underlined the importance of cross-border cooperation among supervisory authorities to ensure consistent enforcement of the GDPR across the EU.
“This dual responsibility – enforcement at the national level and cooperation at the European level – ensures that individuals’ rights are protected everywhere in the EU, while organizations benefit from clearer and more coordinated supervision,” said Deputy Chair Vukić. He also introduced the web tool Olivia, developed by the Agency in cooperation with partners to support SMEs in their compliance efforts. Olivia is free of charge and available to everyone at the following link: https://olivia-gdpr-arc.eu/hr
Deputy Chair Vukić further outlined the four pillars of the European Data Protection Board as defined in the EDPB Strategy for 2024–2027. The first focuses on enhancing harmonisation and promoting compliance through practical and accessible guidance, particularly tailored for citizens, children, and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as by supporting instruments such as codes of conduct and certification schemes. The second pillar is directed at reinforcing a common enforcement culture and ensuring effective cooperation, which includes identifying strategic cross-border cases, strengthening the One-Stop-Shop mechanism, and developing methodologies and tools for consistent enforcement across the Union. The third area of work concerns safeguarding data protection in the evolving digital and cross-regulatory environment, by addressing the interaction of the GDPR with other legislative frameworks such as the AI Act, monitoring new technologies, and ensuring human-centric protection with special attention to vulnerable groups. Finally, the fourth pillar covers the international dimension of the EDPB’s work, aimed at strengthening cooperation with authorities beyond the EU, contributing to international discussions, and supporting instruments for safe international data transfers.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, a joint meeting of Central European data protection authorities was held, bringing together representatives from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Croatia. During the meeting, the Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency held presentations on fines issued by the Agency, as well as on the interaction between the Artificial Intelligence Act and the GDPR, data protection impact assessments, and human rights impact assessments.
The joint meeting of Central European DPAs is an initiative of the Austrian and Hungarian DPAs, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation and the exchange of best practices in the field of personal data protection.
