41st ICDPPC Conference: Early bird registration now extended to 4 October

The early bird deadline for the 41st ICDPPC Conference has been extended to 4 October 2019.

The annual conference will be held in Tirana, Albania on 21-24 October 2019, and this year’s theme is: ‘Convergence and connectivity: raising global data protection standards in the digital age.’

View the conference’s full programme and register today.

For latest updates, follow @ICDPPC2019.

Statement following the passing away of Giovanni Buttarelli

Chair Elizabeth Denham and her colleagues on the Executive Committee of the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (ICDPPC) express their sadness on the news of Giovanni Buttarelli’s death.

Mr Buttarelli, the European Data Protection Supervisor, was a truly inspiring figure in the international privacy community. A renowned legal scholar, he paved the way towards establishing strong standards of personal data protection, first in his home country through his pivotal role in the drafting of Italian privacy law, and subsequently through his outstanding work on the international stage.

Mr Buttarelli brought his long experience and deep-felt humanity to bear in steering the work of the ICDPPC as a member of its Executive Committee. Nowhere was this more evident than in his role as co-host of the fantastic 40th ICDPPC Conference in October 2018, where he presided over an in-depth and creative examination of dignity and respect in data driven life. His sure guiding hand will be sorely missed, but his legacy will never be forgotten.

The Executive Committee would like to express its deepest sympathies to Mr Buttarelli’s family, friends and colleagues.

Executive Committee meeting: 19 June 2019

Introduction

In addition to ad hoc update messages from the Chair, and information shared through the new ICDPPC Newsletter, the Executive Committee has decided, in the interests of transparency and open communication with members, to publish on the website a short summary of the discussion at each Executive Committee meeting. These summaries will start with the 51st Executive Committee meeting held on 2 May 2019.

Executive Committee meeting: 19 June 2019

The Executive Committee held its 52nd meeting on 19 June 2019 by teleconference.

The key focus of this meeting was to review the consultation responses on the Policy Strategy, progress on planning for the next Annual Meeting and next steps on the new name and logo to recommend to the Conference.

The Executive Committee noted that the 35 responses from members received to date, from a wide range of countries and jurisdictions, indicated broad support for the proposed policy priorities, with helpful indications for how the proposals could be further refined and prioritised. In light of some requests for an extension of the consultation period, related to the later circulation of the French and Spanish versions of the documents, the Executive Committee agreed to extend the current consultation until 8 July. Committee members would continue to seek out opportunities to engage with members at regional and other gatherings.

The Executive Committee thanked hosts Albania and the Programme Advisory Committee for their excellent work on the Open Session programme and noted that details including the timetable, panel topics and keynote speakers would be published shortly on both the host and the ICDPPC websites. The Committee discussed a draft agenda for the Closed Session; the broad outline was agreed with further work needed on some elements.

The Executive Committee thanked Mexico for proposing some options for a new name and a new logo, reflecting the helpful and creative input from members during the earlier consultation. These will form the basis for a further consultation with the membership over the summer. The Committee highlighted the importance of selecting a name which appropriately reflects the shift from an annual conference to a permanent body.

The next Executive Committee meeting will take place on 25 July 2019.

Updates from the Executive Committee

Introduction

In addition to ad hoc update messages from the Chair, and information shared through the new ICDPPC Newsletter, the Executive Committee has decided, in the interests of transparency and open communication with members, to publish on the website a short summary of the discussion at each Executive Committee meeting. These summaries will start with the 51st Executive Committee meeting held on 2 May 2019.

Executive Committee meeting: 19 June 2019

The Executive Committee held its 52nd meeting on 19 June 2019 by teleconference.

The key focus of this meeting was to review the consultation responses on the Policy Strategy, progress on planning for the next Annual Meeting and next steps on the new name and logo to recommend to the Conference.

The Executive Committee noted that the 35 responses from members received to date, from a wide range of countries and jurisdictions, indicated broad support for the proposed policy priorities, with helpful indications for how the proposals could be further refined and prioritised. In light of some requests for an extension of the consultation period, related to the later circulation of the French and Spanish versions of the documents, the Executive Committee agreed to extend the current consultation until 8 July. Committee members would continue to seek out opportunities to engage with members at regional and other gatherings.

The Executive Committee thanked hosts Albania and the Programme Advisory Committee for their excellent work on the Open Session programme and noted that details including the timetable, panel topics and keynote speakers would be published shortly on both the host and the ICDPPC websites. The Committee discussed a draft agenda for the Closed Session; the broad outline was agreed with further work needed on some elements.

The Executive Committee thanked Mexico for proposing some options for a new name and a new logo, reflecting the helpful and creative input from members during the earlier consultation. These will form the basis for a further consultation with the membership over the summer. The Committee highlighted the importance of selecting a name which appropriately reflects the shift from an annual conference to a permanent body.

The next Executive Committee meeting will take place on 25 July 2019.

Executive Committee meeting: 2 May 2019

The Executive Committee held its 51st meeting on 2 May 2019 in Washington, DC, on the margins of the IAPP Privacy Summit, where several Executive Committee members were gathered.

A key focus of this meeting was taking forward the development of a policy strategy for the ICDPPC, following the adoption at the 40th conference last year of the Resolution on a Roadmap for the Future of the Conference. The Executive Committee reviewed draft proposals for key themes and policy priorities based on the initial discussion at the workshop which the Executive Committee held in London on 20/21 March. A member consultation on the strategy under development launched on 10 May, and will include raising awareness and gathering feedback from members in their regional/linguistic networks.

Arrangements were made for a Sub-committee of the Executive Committee to evaluate the two bids received for hosting the Conference in 2021 and make a recommendation to the Conference, in line with the ICDPPC Rules and Procedures.

The 2019 ICDPPC Host Authority from Albania provided an update on progress in the plans for the forthcoming conference with announcements including that the conference website is coming soon. News updates to members and observers about the programme and logistical arrangements will follow in due course.

The next meeting will take place on 19 June 2019.

Policy Strategy consultation extended

During the ICDPPC Executive Committee meeting held on the 19 June, the Executive Committee agreed to extend the consultation phase of the Policy Strategy.

The Secretariat is pleased to announce that the deadline for submitting your comments to the Policy Strategy is now Monday 8 July 2019 (close of business, UK time).

The ICDPPC’s Executive Committee launched a consultation for members on six policy areas, as well as proposals for policy priorities and actions for 2019-2021.

ICDPPC members will have received an email with more information about the policy strategy and how to respond to the consultation, which now closes on Monday 8 July 2019. If you have not received it, please email excosecretariat@icdppc.org.

Both French and Spanish versions of the documents are available.

Elizabeth Denham, Chair of the ICDPPC Executive Committee, said:

“At our 40th ICDPPC Conference in Brussels last October, we were proud to adopt the Roadmap Resolution, a clear clarion call to strengthen our committee’s core policy role and influence in advancing privacy and data protection at the international level.

“The next step is to identify the priorities to maximise that global impact. We need your expertise and insight.

“We all face the challenge of limited resources and an ever growing list of challenges that need our attention. In that context, it is crucial that we choose priorities that we all share, and we can all support to carry our goals through to fruition.

“It was with this intention that my fellow Executive Committee Members and I devoted two days at our recent meeting in London to explore the issues and to develop a proposal setting out policy priorities.

“We believe the approach we are proposing is one that will position us to remain relevant for the years ahead. But our vision must be a shared one. I hope I can rely on your input ahead of the 6 June deadline for views on this defining piece of work.”

All responses will be considered for a revised proposal for further consultation with the membership.

For further information, please email excosecretariat@icdppc.org.

Register now for ICDPPC – the general agenda themes and panels are now available!

The Chair and Executive Committee of the ICDPPC are excited to receive the news that the Host Authority 2019 has announced the general agenda and keynote speakers for ICDPPC 2019 in Tirana, Albania.

The keynote speakers, in order of appearance, are:

Jamie Bartlett, Senior Fellow, UK Demos

Brad Smith, President of Microsoft

Christopher Docksey, Honorary Director General of the EDPS

Preparations are in full swing for Tirana and registration is open.

Find out more about the annual forum where independent regulators on privacy, data protection and freedom of information meet at https://www.privacyconference2019.info.

Global Privacy and Data Protection Awards – 2019

Submit your entry by 29 July!

The ICDPPC Executive Committee is excited to announce that this year’s Global Privacy and Data Protection Awards nomination process is now open!

In its third year, the Awards celebrate the achievements of the entire ICDPPC community and shine a light on good practice.

Any member can apply. Submit your entry form by 29 July.

The award categories are:

  • Education and public awareness
  • Accountability
  • Dispute resolution and enforcement
  • Innovation
  • People’s Choice (shortlisted entries in all categories will automatically be entered for this Award)

We’ve made a minor update to the process to make it as easy as possible to vote for your favourite entries. Find out more on how to apply with the FAQs here.

ICDPPC Resolutions 2019 – the way forward

Do you have a resolution idea to table at this year’s ICDPPC?

Are you looking to co-sponsor or contribute as an ICDPPC member to this year’s Conference resolutions?

The ICDPPC Executive Committee is aware that many members want to get as much as possible out of their membership of the ICDPPC. Engaging with the development of the Conference Resolutions is a great way to get involved. As we embark on that time of the year when we consider what will be tabled for adoption at the next Conference, further guidance about how you can track developments or indeed take the lead has been produced to assist you in your understanding and engagement with the ICDPPC Resolutions tabling process.

The following guidance on the Resolutions process follows the update of the Conference Rules and Procedures in 2018.

More reasons for this guidance:

  • This guidance aims to provide both you as a member and the Executive Committee, including the Host Authority, with a clearer idea of what to expect at the Conference Closed Session.
  • Your adherence to the resolutions process will help you as an ICDPPC Member with your individual decision-making on what to expect from this year’s Conference, particularly useful around the time when you are considering whether to attend.

The process also facilitates the Executive Committee’s job in bringing you the best plan for the ICDPPC 2019 Closed Session.

DATE

(Week commencing)

Action
28 May (Co-)Sponsor(s) communicate to the Conference Secretariat and Host Authority their intention to produce a resolution on specific topic (all types of resolution – topic area only, no need for declaration of co-sponsors, exact title or any content at this stage).
3 June Announcement of the list of those Authorities with intentions to table a resolution and any existing co-sponsors.
24 June (Co-)Sponsor(s) send their draft resolution to the Secretariat by now, where this concerns topics regarding a particularly complex technical or policy issue, or relating to a topic that otherwise may require a longer review and comment period prior to the Closed Session. No co-sponsors are required to be declared at this stage.
1 July Round One comment period opens for member proposals for amendment to resolutions on complex/technical policy matters.
22 July Comment period ends (end of week, 26 July) (Round One) on the resolutions on a complex or technical policy matter.
29 July (Co-)Sponsor(s) of resolutions of a particularly complex or technical nature circulate via Conference Secretariat an updated draft text to all Members and ask for next stage comment (Round Two) and co-sponsors.
19 Aug End of Round Two comment period on the complex/technical resolutions. Co-sponsors of these resolutions need to be identified by now. (Formal conference deadline for members to indicate themselves as co-sponsors is 26 August).

Launch process of circulation of all other (less complex/less technical nature) resolutions, ensuring that proposed resolutions already have four co-sponsors (Rule 4.1, ICDPPC 2018). Co-sponsors send their draft resolution to the Conference Secretariat by now.

14 Oct Final draft resolutions published on the Host Authority website.
21 Oct Conference closed session – discussion of draft resolutions. Amendments made, if any.
22 Oct Conference closed session – adoption of draft resolutions, as amended.

Read the FAQs document on the resolutions process.

 

ICDPPC launches consultation on its policy strategy

The ICDPPC’s Executive Committee has launched a consultation for members on six policy areas, as well as proposals for policy priorities and actions for 2019 – 2021.

ICDPPC members will have received an email with more information about the policy strategy and how to respond to the consultation, which closes on 6 June 2019. If you have not received it, please email excosecretariat@icdppc.org.

Both French and Spanish versions of the documents are being prepared and will be shared when available.

Elizabeth Denham, Chair of the ICDPPC Executive Committee, said:

“At our 40th ICDPPC Conference in Brussels last October, we were proud to adopt the Roadmap Resolution, a clear clarion call to strengthen our committee’s core policy role and influence in advancing privacy and data protection at the international level.

“The next step is to identify the priorities to maximise that global impact. We need your expertise and insight.

“We all face the challenge of limited resources and an ever growing list of challenges that need our attention. In that context, it is crucial that we choose priorities that we all share, and we can all support to carry our goals through to fruition.

“It was with this intention that my fellow Executive Committee Members and I devoted two days at our recent meeting in London to explore the issues and to develop a proposal setting out policy priorities.

“We believe the approach we are proposing is one that will position us to remain relevant for the years ahead. But our vision must be a shared one. I hope I can rely on your input ahead of the 6 June deadline for views on this defining piece of work.”

All responses will be considered for a revised proposal for further consultation with the membership.

For further information, please email excosecretariat@icdppc.org.