November 12 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in effect across Europe since 25 May 2018. It aims to protect individuals regarding the processing of personal data while ensuring the free movement of such data. Rooted in European values of individual agency and freedom, GDPR seeks to safeguard people during a digital transition that might otherwise occur without their active control.
As GDPR approaches its tenth anniversary in 2026, both technology and online behaviour have evolved significantly. Periodic updates are not only expected but necessary.
Initially, GDPR was criticised for potentially hindering innovation. Over time, however, it came to be seen more positively, highlighting the crucial role of data protection in an always-connected world. Today, GDPR serves as a successful model for other countries and regions. In Latin America, for instance, many countries continue to face challenges in implementing data protection laws. Through our Open Calls, we observe civil society increasingly turning to local governments for actionable frameworks.
GDPR is currently under review, with revisions and proposals under discussion — including efforts to simplify compliance, such as record-keeping exemptions for SMEs with fewer than 500 employees.
As the digital transition reshapes interactions between people, objects, and environments, pressing questions arise:
- How can we regulate effectively in a world where analogue and digital have merged?
- What are the trade-offs between seizing opportunities and mitigating harms?
- How do we protect some without unduly restricting the tools others need to work and innovate?
- Are current policy instruments still fit for purpose?
Speakers:
- Gwendal Le Grand — Deputy Head of the EDPB Secretariat
- Gérald Santucci — President, European Education New Society (ENSA); former Head of Unit “Knowledge Sharing” (2012–2016) and “Networked Enterprise & RFID” (2006–2012), DG CONNECT
- Andrea Servida — Retired from the European Commission; former Head of Unit “Knowledge Management & Innovative Systems”, DG CONNECT
