As Data Protection Day 2026 comes to a close, today’s discussions were a timely reminder that data protection is not just about celebration, but about taking stock of what still needs to be done. It is also a reminder of a shared European commitment: to ensure that technological progress, economic innovation and public administration develop in a way that remains firmly anchored in the protection of fundamental rights.

Today's event brought together policymakers, regulators, academics and practitioners with one goal to find the answers to key questions: How can we modernise without compromising core principles? How can ‘regulatory simplification’ coexist with strong safeguards for individuals? And how can Europe’s normative model continue to inspire a humancentric digital future?

"Across all the discussions, one conclusion stands out: effective data protection today depends less on finding entirely new principles than on applying existing ones intelligently, consistently and cooperatively" said Thomas Zerdick, the EDPS Acting Secretary-General in his Closing remarks.

"The EDPS occupies a singular place in the Union’s constitutional architecture: independent by design, central to the supervision of Union institutions, with its advisory role towards the legislator and closely connected to the courts. That role is most effective when it is exercised with a clear mandate and a stable institutional horizon enabling the strategic considerations" concluded Thomas Zerdick.

Read the full speech here: https://link.europa.eu/DpvhDp

A big thank you to all participants for their valuable insights and inspiring conversations!

#DataProtection #DPD2026 #CouncilOfEurope

*** Data Protection Day 2026 - Chasing shadows: Can regulation keep up as online tracking continues to transform? ***

Follow our final part of the afternoon session starting now!

👉 Watch the Keynote speech by Anu Bradford, Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization at Columbia Law School, focusing on the false choice between digital regulation and innovation;

followed by

👉 Main Session 4: ‘Chasing shadows: Can regulation keep up as online tracking continues to transform?’. This panel session, chaired by Rob van Eijk, will gather Cristiana Santos, Itxaso Domínguez de Olazábal and Rosa Barcelo to reflect on the protection of the confidentiality of communications and terminal equipment, as well as how to best address the constantly evolving practices and technologies in the area of online tracking.

📢 Live streaming: https://link.europa.eu/HxtW3b
📢 More information on the event: https://data-protection-day.eu/

#DataProtection #DPD2026 #CouncilOfEurope

We are about to start our afternoon programme with two engaging items:

👉 The Keynote speech by Jelena Virant Burnik, Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia and Deputy Chair of the European Data Protection Board;

followed by

👉 Main Session 3: ‘Data protection reform: Cut the red tape, not the rights?’. Led by Romain Robert, the panel will bring together Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, Victoria de Posson, Agustín Reyna and Olivier Micol. It will offer different perspectives on the data protection reform in the EU and will try to answer, among others, the key question: If ‘simplification’ or ‘modernisation’ of data protection law is needed, what does it mean exactly and how should we assess the current proposal?

📢 Live streaming: https://link.europa.eu/HxtW3b
📢 More information on the event: https://data-protection-day.eu/

#DataProtection #DPD2026 #CouncilOfEurope

🇪🇺 Heute ist Europäischer Datenschutztag!

Unter dem Motto „Reset or refine?“ reflektiert der @EDPS, wie #Europa seine Rolle im #Datenschutz weiter stärken kann.

📄 Passend dazu haben wir ein White Paper zum Wirtschaftsvorteil Datenschutz veröffentlicht: https://stiftungdatenschutz.org/veroeffentlichungen/wirtschaftsvorteil-datenschutz

Datenschutz ist nämlich keine Innovationsbremse, sondern ein klarer Wettbewerbsvorteil. Er schafft die wichtigste Währung der digitalen Welt: Vertrauen.

#EuropeanDataProtectionDay2026 #EuropäischerDatenschutztag #DPD2026

Our next morning programme segment is about to begin!

👉 Let's welcome Beatriz de Anchorena, Chair of the Committee of Convention 108 and Head of the Agency for Access to Public Information (AAIP), the Argentinian Data Protection Authority, who will deliver the Keynote speech;

followed by

👉 Main Session 2: ‘Past, Present, Future? What is Convention 108+ really? And where does it belong?’. Watch Mohamed DIOP, Emmanuel Netter, Erik Wennerström and Judith Lichtenberg in a conversation moderated by Peter Kimpian. The panel will examine the topical challenges that Convention 108 faces as a global treaty and look into the most pressing priorities in relation to the future application of Convention 108+.

📢 Live streaming: https://link.europa.eu/HxtW3b

📢 More information on the event: https://data-protection-day.eu/

#DataProtection #DPD2026 #CouncilOfEurope

Today, on 28 January, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Data Protection Day, a milestone that reminds us of the enduring importance of privacy and the evolution of data protection from Convention 108 to today’s GDPR.

In his opening remarks, Wojciech Wiewiorowski, the Supervisor, reminded that “effective enforcement of data protection rules in the digital world is not only the institutional mission of the EDPS; it is also a topic which requires constant reflection and open exchanges. [...] We need to be able to work together efficiently and effectively, so that together we can deliver the right outcomes for individuals, businesses and society as a whole.”

“In less than 10 years, the GDPR has become the gold standard in the field of data protection, not only at the European level, but also worldwide. [...] The GDPR is more than a regulatory instrument: it is anchored in Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and cannot be compromised in the context of reform debates.”

“The role of data protection extends far beyond the realm of privacy and indeed it often becomes a safeguard for democracy itself” concluded the Supervisor.

👉 Read the full speech here: https://link.europa.eu/bYPww6

#DataProtection #DataProtectionDay #DPD2026 #Convention108 @Council of Europe

Happy Data Protection Day!

20th anniversary online event: https://www.coe.int/web/data-protection/data-protection-day

#Data #DataProtection #DataPrivacy #Privacy #InfoSec #InformationSecurity #CyberSecurity #Encryption #E2EE #Security #PasswordManager #SelfHost #SelfHosted #SelfHosting #Linux #DataSovereignty #CouncilOfEurope #CoE #EDPS #EuropeanDataProtectionSupervisor #DPD #DPD2026 #OpenPGP #PGP #GnuPG #GPG #VeraCrypt #Tomb #LUKS #AES #P2P #VPN #LetsEncrypt #Argon2 #Tor #XMPP #OMEMO #TorBrowser #Tails #PrivacyBadger #JShelter

*** Data Protection Day ***

📅 On 28 January each year, Council of Europe member states and EU institutions celebrate #DataProtectionDay, marking the anniversary of the Council of Europe’s data protection convention, known as “Convention 108”.

Convention 108 was the first binding international legal instrument protecting individuals’ rights to the protection of their personal data - a foundation that remains essential today as digital technologies, AI and data-driven systems continue to evolve.

🎉 Happy Data Protection Day!

#DataProtection #DPD2026 #Convention108

🚀 Coming up: Data Protection Day 2026 - Reset or refine?

#DPD2026 is around the corner! Become part of our story by attending our Data Protection Day 2026 conference co-organised with Council of Europe.

Don't forget to bring your thoughts and insights with you. From data protection to the underlying technology, our sessions provide the ideal framework for dialogue to develop a global understanding alongside experts.

🔗 Read the full programme here: https://data-protection-day.eu/

🔗Registrations are open until 20 January 2026, 12:00 midday, for in-person participation. You can also join us from anywhere you want via the online platform or streaming: https://link.europa.eu/yRvbbk

Join sessions on the future of EU digital legislation and core principles of data protection.