Tine A. Larsen, Chair of the CNPD, got the ball rolling with an inspiring and throw-back speech on the evolution of the Commission, accompanied with a video recalling the timeline. The occasion for Larsen to turn back time and recount the story of the CNPD since its creation by the 2002 Act. She also thanked every stakeholder for their continued support.
“Over the next decades, we will undoubtedly change, grow, transform and learn new lessons. But our core mission will remain the same: we will continue to protect your fundamental right to privacy as long as we exist.“ – Tine A. Larsen
Since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, the CNPD saw its role evolve, change and transform, as explained by Larsen. On top of this, Xavier Bettel noted the importance of considering new technologies’ exponential growth, which represents a considerable challenge – for now and in the upcoming years. A challenge for both innovation and data protection.
He also highlighted the essential role that CNPD plays at national level, as the “guardian of one of our most fundamental rights: the protection of our privacy”. A vision that Andrea Jelinek, Chair of the European Data Protection Board, does share. She acknowledged the upcoming challenges in terms of cooperation within the European Union, competences, and legislations – notably the implementation of new digital market regulations.
Speaking of regulations, the Digital Markets Act was introduced last November and represents a step – within the EU – to sanction large online platforms, which act as “digital gatekeepers”. But of course, regulations on national, European and international levels must conform to technological progress. In the meantime, it is necessary to raise awareness on cybersecurity and data protection among the general public and companies.
