Mit dem technologischen Fortschritt der letzten Jahrzehnte sind die Techniken zur Überwachung, Verfolgung und Profilerstellung einfacher, günstiger und präziser geworden. In der Folge hat die Überwachung sowohl im öffentlichen Sektor (beispielsweise zu Zwecken der Strafverfolgung und öffentlichen Sicherheit) als auch im privaten Sektor (beispielsweise für gezielte Werbung) zugenommen. Diese Praktiken können tiefgreifende Auswirkungen darauf haben, wie Menschen denken und handeln, sowie auf andere persönliche Rechte (wie die Freiheit der Meinungsäußerung oder die Vereinigungsfreiheit). Jede Form der Überwachung ist ein Eingriff in die Grundrechte auf Schutz personenbezogener Daten und Schutz der Privatsphäre. Eine solche Maßnahme muss eine gesetzliche Grundlage haben und notwendig sowie verhältnismäßig sein.
The EDPS-Civil society summit is an annual meeting between the EDPS and civil society organisations organized to discuss the state of data protection and privacy in the EU.
The 2020 edition will focus on a number of issues relating facial recognition, biometric surveillance technologies and its effects on activists
in the EU.
The GDPR is an outstanding achievement for the EU, its legislators and stakeholders, but the EU's work to ensure that data protection goes digital is far from finished. The majority of the world population now has access to the internet, while tech giants now represent the six highest valued companies in the world. With this in mind, in 2017 the EDPS issued advice to the legislator on the new ePrivacy Regulation, as well as pursuing his own initiatives relating to the Digital Clearinghouse and Digital Ethics, the latter of which will be the main topic of discussion at the 2018 International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, co-hosted by the EDPS.
Finalising and implementing a revised version of the current legislation governing data protection in the EU institutions and bodies as soon as possible is also a priority, if the EU is to remain a credible and effective leader in the protection of individuals' rights. The EDPS intends to exercise the powers granted to him in the revised Regulation efficiently and responsibly, in order to ensure that the EU's institutions and bodies set an example for the rest of the EU to follow. For this reason, the EDPS has invested a lot of effort in preparing the EU institutions for the new rules and will continue to do so throughout 2018.
In 2017, the EDPS also contributed to ongoing discussions on the Privacy Shield and on the free flow of data in trade agreements, which will remain on the EU and EDPS agenda throughout 2018. With the fight against terrorism still a pressing concern for the EU, the EDPS continues to advocate the need to find a balance between security and privacy in the processing of personal data by law enforcement authorities. As the new data protection supervisor for Europol, the EU’s police authority, he is determined to ensure that the EU sets an example in achieving this balance.
Stellungnahme zur Vorabkontrolle des Videoüberwachungssystems des Europäischen Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschusses und des Ausschusses der Regionen (Fall 2017-0662)
The Opinion regards the rather sophisticated video-surveillance system of the European Economic Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. In the light of the EDPS Guidelines on Video-surveillance and against the background of a data protection impact assessment conducted, it contains recommendations on covert surveillance (concealed cameras), the collection of special categories of data and applicable retention periods.
