Become a Member

Supervisory authorities that consider they meet the criteria for Global Privacy Assembly membership may apply to the Executive Committee on the online application form provided below to become a member of the Assembly.

Please read the FAQs below before completing the application form.

GPA membership applications are open for the 2024-25 cycle.

To be processed in time, applications must be received by the Secretariat at least three months before the Closed Session of the Assembly’s annual conference. That means in 2024, the deadline for applications is end of day, Friday 19 July 2024.

However, aspiring applicants are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible to allow the Executive Committee to carefully consider and examine the evidence submitted.

For those seeking Observer status, please see the corresponding guidance about Observer applications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which authorities are eligible to apply for membership status?

Rule 5.1 of the Rules and Procedures sets out the eligibility criteria for authorities that wish to become members of the Assembly. These are:

  1. Be a public entity, created by an appropriate legal instrument based upon legal traditions of the country or international organization which it belongs to.
    b. Have the supervision of the implementation of the legislation on the protection of personal data or privacy as one of its principal regulatory mandates.
    c. Operate under legislation which is compatible with the principal international instruments dealing with data protection or privacy.
    d. Have an appropriate range of legal powers to perform its functions.
    e. Have appropriate autonomy and independence.

To have a clear understanding of how these criteria are interpreted, applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with:

How does an authority apply for membership?
Use the application form.

 Who should complete an application for membership?

An application for membership should be completed by a person authorised by the applicant authority to do so. Any email contact address given should be an official email address of the applicant authority (e.g. Hotmail or Gmail addresses will not be accepted).

Applicants are also required to fill in the section ‘Name’ on the application form with the name and surname of the persona making the application. The Executive Committee reserves the right not to consider any application not including this information.

What happens after an authority completes and submits an application?

After submitting the application, the authority will receive an automated acknowledgement that the application has been successfully submitted.

If you have not received this notification after submitting your application, please ensure to notify the Assembly’s Secretariat at secretariat@globalprivacyassembly.org.

Once the application is received, the Executive Committee will establish an Accreditation Sub-Committee which will carry out an initial assessment of the application to verify the applicant’s eligibility to become an Assembly member. The Sub-Committee may request additional supporting information from an Applicant to check certain details to enable it to make a full assessment against the accreditation criteria.

The Executive Committee will review the initial assessment of the Sub-Committee and either validate the Sub-Committee decision, ask for additional information or recommend a different outcome. This includes the authority being recommended for Observer Status. The results of the assessment and views of the Executive Committee are recorded in the accreditation checklist. Usually a correctly completed application form will give the Executive Committee all the information it needs to process the application.

Once satisfied that an applicant authority is eligible for membership, the Executive Committee will include the authority’s details in a resolution presented to the annual closed session of the Assembly recommending accreditation as a member.

If the Executive Committee does not consider that the applicant authority is eligible to be a Member, the applicant will be advised and given the reasons for the Committee’s view.

How long will it take for an application to be processed?

Individual applications vary considerably in how long they take to process. Some applications are complex while others are quite straightforward. However, so long as an application is submitted at least three months before the annual Assembly conference there will be time to complete the assessment.

What is the last date to submit an application form?

Applications may be submitted throughout the year but no later than three months before the next Assembly’s Closed Session.

To ensure a timely process, we encourage applicants to submit their applications as early as possible.

Applications are now open for the 2024 cycle. Please submit your application by 19 July 2024 if you wish to have your application considered in the 2024 Assembly Closed Session.

Any applications received after this date may be considered and recommended for accreditation in the next cycle, in 2025.

When will I be told that the application is successful?

The Executive Committee meets every 2-3 months. There is usually only one Committee meeting in the three months before the Closed Session. Accordingly, any authority that submits an application close to the 3-month deadline may be advised of the Committee’s recommendation for membership just weeks before the Closed Session of the Assembly conference.

If an application is submitted earlier in the year, it may be possible to advise the applicant of the Committee’s recommendation after an earlier Committee meeting. Please note that this may not always be possible.

The Committee’s role is to recommend to the closed session that an authority be accredited as a member. Rule 2.1 of the Rules and Procedures provide that the decision on accreditation is taken by the Assembly membership at the closed session itself.

As a general rule, all Assembly decisions are taken by consensus. Should there be a need to run an online rather than in-person conference in 2024, then the process for approval by the membership may be adjusted accordingly, with suitable notice given to the members and applicants. For example, some or all of the accreditation approval process may need to take place online.

 Will I have voting rights once accredited as a Member?

Not necessarily. According to the Assembly’s Rule number 2.3, only one vote may be cast on behalf of any country. When more than one member from the same country attends the Closed Session, the vote will be cast by the national authority or by the most representative member according to criteria such as the extent of its supervisory powers. The member casting the vote is expected to consult with the other members from the country in question. Members that belong to international organisations are not entitled to vote, unless voting rights have been specifically granted to them at the time of accreditation.

Where can I find further information?

Relevant information can be found in the Assembly’s rules and procedures. For any further questions, contact the Secretariat at secretariat@globalprivacyassembly.org.