On 28 January, marking the 20th Data Protection Day, an international conference “Implementation of the Legal Framework on Data Protection: Challenges, Benefits, Resilience” took place in Chisinau. The event brought together representatives of public authorities, policymakers, business leaders, and data protection experts from several European countries to discuss the practical implementation of data protection legislation and its importance in strengthening democracy, security, and public trust.
The conference was also attended by Jekaterina Macuka, Director of the Data State Inspectorate of Latvia, who shared Latvia’s experience in implementing European Union data protection requirements. Acting as a moderator, she took part in a panel discussion on ensuring compliance in practice, focusing on the implementation of records of processing activities, organizational accountability, and best practices for effective data governance. The discussion highlighted the need to move from formal compliance documentation to integrated, day-to-day data protection systems, as well as the close interconnection between data protection and cybersecurity.
In addition, J. Macuka also spoke in a session on supervisory procedures and sanctions. In her presentation, she emphasized the importance of transparency in the work of supervisory authorities, including the role of publishing decisions in building public trust, as well as the importance of the independence of supervisory authorities in ensuring an effective personal data protection system in European Union candidate countries.
The participation of the Data State Inspectorate in such an international forum confirms the significance of Latvia’s experience and its contribution to European-level discussions on personal data protection, digital security, and public trust.