Data Protection - October 2013

Department of International Law attends XI Ibero-American Data Protection Meeting

On October 15 and 16, 2013, the Department of International Law (DIL) attended the XI Ibero-American Data Protection Meeting as a permanent observer. The event, held in Cartagena, Colombia, was organized by the Ibero-American Data Protection Network (RIPD), the Spanish Data Protection Agency, the Federal Institute of Access to Information and Data Protection (IFAI), and the Spanish Cooperation Training Center. At the meeting were representatives of the personal data protection authorities of Latin America, more than 50 senior officials from oversight agencies, representatives of other public-sector institutions with responsibilities in this area, as well as international experts and scholars.

The OAS General Assembly has recognized the growing importance of privacy and the protection of personal data, and the need to encourage and protect cross-border flows of information in the Americas.

The fact that the event was attended by a large number of data-protection officials, experts, academics, and private enterprises is a testament to the importance of the issue of personal data protection for the region’s countries, as evinced by the progress that they have made in establishing protections for this right, both at the constitutional level and through the adoption of special legislation.

A variety of panel discussions and speakers addressed such topics as the so-called “right to forget,” cloud computing, cooperation and law enforcement, professional certification systems, and on-line behavioral advertising.

The Director of the DIL was invited to speak about developments on the issue at the OAS. In his presentation, he described the efforts of the DIL as well as developments and mandates that have arisen in the framework of the Organization’s consultative and political bodies. He drew attention to the contents of technical documents prepared by the DIL under General Assembly mandate, including comparative studies on different legal systems, policies, and enforcement mechanisms in place for personal data protection in the Hemisphere. He also mentioned the Statement of Principles on Privacy and Protection of Personal Data in the Americas presented to the General Assembly by the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI) and, in particular, the mandate contained in a resolution AG/RES. 2811 (XLIII-0/13), adopted by the General Assembly at its last regular session, that the CJI prepare proposals for the Permanent Council’s Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs on different ways of regulating the protection of personal data, including a model law on personal data protection.

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