Cybersecurity Policy Report, EDPB Outlines 2024-2027 Strategy, Advances EU-U.S. Privacy Pact, (Apr 19, 2024)

By Tony Foley

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) announced yesterday that it had adopted its 2024-2027 strategy, as well as promulgating rules of procedure for the implementation of redress mechanisms under the European Union-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

The announcement said the strategy sets out the EDPB’s priorities for the period, which are grouped around the four following pillars: (1) enhancing harmonization and promoting compliance; (2) reinforcing a common enforcement culture and effective cooperation; (3) safeguarding data protection in the developing digital and cross-regulatory landscape; and (4) contributing to the global dialogue on data protection.

The strategy also outlines the key actions that EDPB will use for each pillar to achieve their objectives. Among the specific initiatives contemplated, perhaps most important will be a focus on the interplay within the new digital regulatory framework. New digital laws like the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) will have an impact on data protection and privacy, and the EDPB plans to work to enhance cooperation with other regulatory authorities with a view toward embedding the right to data protection within the overall regulatory infrastructure. Finally, the strategy specifies that the EDPB will continue to pay special attention to challenges raised by new technologies like artificial intelligence.

“The new strategy takes the existing vision in a new direction in order to respond to the data protection needs of today, and the ever evolving digital landscape,” said EDPB Chair Ann Talus. “The strategy is the result of a collaborative effort, involving all EU data protection authorities (DPAs) and sets out common priorities for the years to come. ”

With respect to the DPF, the announcement said the EDPB had adopted rules of procedure, a public information note, and template complaint forms to facilitate the implementation of the DPF’s redress mechanisms. The documents, which were not made available from the announcement, relate to two redress mechanisms created to handle complaints by EU individuals. They deal only with complaints regarding their respective competencies—national security and commercial purposes—and apply only to data transferred after July 10, 2023.

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