On 4–5 September, the annual meeting of the representatives of the Baltic States’ personal data protection supervisory authorities took place in Vilnius. During the meeting, the heads and experts of the Latvian, Estonian, and Lithuanian data protection authorities discussed the most important activities and results of the past year, reviewed future plans, and considered upcoming challenges.
Director of the State Data Protection Inspectorate, Dijana Šinkūnienė, noted that these annual meetings of Baltic data protection experts, which have already become a tradition, are important not only as an opportunity to exchange best practices and knowledge but also in shaping the future data protection practices in the region.
“I am glad that this year we are meeting in Vilnius. Once again, I see that the challenges faced by supervisory authorities are very similar, differing only in detail. Still, to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges, we must look for more global solutions beyond Lithuania’s borders. We need to act in cooperation, especially by sharing best practices,” the Director said.
Similar views were expressed by the Head of the Latvian Data Protection Supervisory Authority, Jekaterina Macuka:
“Inter-institutional cooperation is essential, as many companies operate across all three countries. These meetings foster deeper discussions on institutional practices and interpretations of the Regulation, while also building joint understanding and alignment. A shared interpretation ensures greater consistency in enforcement, reduces legal uncertainty for cross-border businesses, and strengthens the protection of individuals’ rights across the region.”
Meanwhile, the Head of the Estonian Data Protection Supervisory Authority, Pille Lehis, emphasized:
“It is always a pleasure to meet with colleagues from Baltic countries to exchange experiences, share both joys and challenges, and strengthen our cooperation. Over the years, this has grown into a wonderful tradition that I truly value, and one that continues to inspire and support our joint efforts across the region.”
The heads of the Baltic data protection supervisory authorities discussed the past year’s activities and developments, new competences expected under EU regulations, and presented the progress achieved as well as the main challenges encountered.
During the meeting, participants exchanged views on a wide range of issues relevant to the authorities, such as the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Act and other EU regulations, the scope of supervision, and possible cooperation challenges with other institutions operating in this field. Discussions also covered the conduct of audits in the Schengen (SIS) and Visa (VIS) information systems, data collection and processing in the implementation of new EU legal mechanisms and systems, as well as other relevant cooperation matters.
It was also agreed that the institutions of the Baltic States would strengthen informal cooperation on audit implementation, the evaluation of data processing in national Schengen, Visa, and other information systems, as well as on other relevant issues. This closer cooperation aims to ensure the more effective fulfilment of European obligations while optimizing institutional resources. Strengthened expert ties are also essential to ensuring the proper performance of supervisory functions in the field of personal data protection.
In Lithuania, personal data protection supervision is carried out not only by the State Data Protection Inspectorate but also by the Inspector of Journalists’ Ethics when personal data are processed in the media for the purposes of public information, artistic, and literary expression. Accordingly, representatives of the Office of the Inspector of Journalists’ Ethics also joined the meeting and shared the challenges arising in this field.