Parliament has adopted, at second reading, the draft law on the protection of personal data processed for the purpose of preventing and combating crime

       On 30 July 2026, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted, at second reading, the draft law on the protection of personal data processed for the purpose of preventing and combating crime, a legislative act transposing into national law Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA

       The adoption of this draft law represents an important step in the process of harmonising the legislation of the Republic of Moldova with European Union standards in the field of personal data protection and complements the regulatory framework established by Law No. 195/2024 on personal data protection, which is due to enter into force on 23 August 2026.

       The new legislation lays down specific rules on how the competent authorities – criminal investigation bodies, public prosecutors’ offices, courts and other authorised institutions – process personal data for the purposes of preventing or combating crime, investigating criminal offences, conducting criminal proceedings or enforcing sentences and security measures.

       In this regard, the law sets out clear obligations for the competent authorities concerning the lawfulness of processing, the restriction of data use to the purposes provided for by law, compliance with the principle of data minimisation, and the implementation of the technical and organisational measures necessary to ensure the security and confidentiality of such data.

       The draft was reviewed by representatives of the European Commission, who gave a positive opinion on the document and noted that, together with Law No. 195/2024 on personal data protection, it contributes to the consolidation of a modern regulatory framework aligned with European Union standards.

       The adoption of this law reaffirms the Republic of Moldova’s commitment to establishing an effective system for personal data protection in the field of law enforcement, in accordance with European standards and the objectives of the process of integration into the European Union.