GDPR 2 year Mark Anniversary

The 25th of May 2020 marks the second year since the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) came into force. The GDPR is widely considered as one of the most contested law in the EU’s history, and was the product of intense negotiations and thousands of proposed amendments. The vision and aim of the European Commission was to create a comprehensive data protection regime to strengthen online privacy rights, boost Europe’s digital economy and strengthen the position of supervisory authorities, both nationally and internationally. Such a regime offered the potential to significantly reduce data fragmentation and to strengthen data protection across Europe.

The European Commission, in a statement issued today to celebrate the two-year anniversary, explained that the aim of the legislation has been achieved and that the GDPR has changed the landscape of data protection in Europe and beyond. Within these two years, the GDPR has not only shaped the way in which  personal data is processed and regulated in Europe, but it has also become a reference point on privacy at global level. Now, the GDPR is considered the cornerstone of the European digital transition.

Today in Cyprus, the Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection (“Commissioner”) has issued a statement celebrating the 2-year anniversary and additionally provided some insight into their role within the GDPR. Since the date that the GDPR came into force, the Commissioner has handled 740 complaints, of which 207 concerned unsolicited advertising messages and 125 related to data breach. It has reviewed 24 impact assessments submitted for prior consultation, and, performed 25 audits. Furthermore, 39 judgments have been issued, and administrative fines totaling 154,100 euros have been levied.   Additionally, 52 opinions on Bills and Law Proposals concerning personal data processing were submitted.

We, at Elias Neocleous & Co LLC, celebrate the achievements and results of both the GDPR and the Commissioner.  Together, they now play a vital role in safeguarding human rights and privacy in an ever-increasing digital environment, whilst also providing a framework for innovation based on mutual trust.

Our GDPR Team, consisting of legal and technical consultants with substantial collective experience and expertise in all areas of privacy and cyber-security, and our state-of-the-art data center, provide the resources and infrastructure required to provide services of the highest quality to our clients. Our collective expertise and experience in advising clients on data protection and privacy matters for more than 20 years makes us unique and sets us far ahead of the competition in this sphere.

For more information we invite you to download our General Data Protection Regulation brochure available here. To discuss the ways in which we can help you and your business, you may contact us by email at [email protected] or reach out to your usual contact at Elias Neocleous & Co. LLC.

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