1st International Data Protection Officers Day

May 25, 2021

May 25, 2021 is the 1st International Data Protection Officers Day. It is initiated by the European Federation of Data Protection Officers (EFDPO) on the occasion of the 3rd birthday of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

With the GDPR coming into force on May 25, 2018, the role of the Data Protection Officer (DPO) was officially introduced throughout the European Economic Area and beyond. It gives DPOs a specific job profile, sets requirements for their professional qualification, and thus highlights the great significance of DPOs as an independent informing, advising, and monitoring experts in companies and public bodies.

“Anchoring the role of the data protection officer firmly in the GDPR as the link between data controllers, data subjects and supervisory authorities is one of the reasons why this regulation is rightly considered a success story,” says EFDPO President Thomas Spaeing. “Of course, even after three years, implementation can still be optimized. But the progress is clearly noticeable, not least thanks to the interdisciplinary expertise of data protection officers who demonstrate what modern feasible data protection can look like in a digitalized society.”

About the EFDPO:

Based in Brussels, the EFDPO is the European umbrella association of data protection officers and privacy professionals. Its objectives are to create a European network of national DPO associations to exchange information, experience and methods, to establish a continuous dialogue with the political sphere, business representatives and civil society to ensure a flow of information from the European to the national level and to proactively monitor, evaluate and shape the implementation of the GDPR and other European privacy legal acts.  In doing so, the EFDPO aims to create awareness for the crucial role of DPOs, promote further professionalization in this occupational field and as a result strengthen data protection as a competitive and locational advantage for Europe.

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