Privacy & Information Security Law Blog: EDPB Releases Two-Year Work Program

On February 12, 2019, the European Data Protection Board (the "EDPB") released its work program for 2019 and 2020 (the "Work Program"). Following the EDPB's endorsement of the Article 29 Working Party guidelines and continued guidance relating to new EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") concepts, the EDPB plans to shift its focus to more specialized areas and technologies.

The Work Program, which was designed based on priority areas for stakeholders, outlines a list of planned guidelines, consistency opinions and EDPB activities, as well as additional possible topics that the EDPB may tackle over the course of the next two years. The ambitious and very full Work Program seeks to deal with a range of topics, including:

International Transfers

Planned guidance on certifications and Codes of Conduct as a tool for transfers as well as on international transfers between public bodies for administrative cooperation purposes. Finalizing the draft guidelines on the territorial scope of the GDPR. The EDPB will also continue to provide opinions on relevant draft decisions from competent supervisory authorities on standard contractual clauses for international transfers under Article 46(2) GDPR, standard contractual clauses for processors under Article 28(8) GDPR and ad hoc contractual clauses for international transfers under Article 46(3) GDPR. Other possible activities include guidance on the interaction between the Regulation on the free flow of non-personal data in the EU and the GDPR, an opinion on cross-border requests for e-evidence and further work on interoperability. ePrivacy and Online Services

The EDPB plans to release a consistency opinion on the interplay between the GDPR and ePrivacy. Guidance is planned on targeting social media users, video surveillance and connected vehicles. The EDPB will also work on guidance relating to the use of contractual necessity as a legal basis for processing in the context of online services. Other possible activity in this area includes work around blockchain and the use of new...