Participation of the National Centre for Personal Data Protection in the international conference “Accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Single Euro Payments Area – achievements and perspectives”

The Deputy Director of NCPDP Angela Colomiicenco participated on 17 November at the international conference “Accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) – achievements and perspectives”. The event was organized by the National Bank of Moldova.

SEPA is a project developed in the European payments area and aims at creating an integrated market for euro payment services by removing commercial, legal and technical barriers to national payments participating in the SEPA area.

Considering the development of this project, it should be noted that payment operations will be carried out by legal entities as well as by specific individuals, which involve the processing of personal data, operations to be carried out in compliance with legal requirements and European standards in the field of personal data protection.

In her speech, Ms Colomiicenco said that the SEPA project should not be seen only as a “one-move operation”, but rather as a continuously developing project that facilitates European integration and will contribute to the implementation of European standards in the field of personal data protection in national legislation.

Also, cooperation in the field of personal data protection and ensuring a high level of personal data protection in line with European Union (EU) standards are key objectives of the Republic of Moldova, set out in the main documents governing relationship between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova, in particular in the RM-EU Association Agreement, and the approval of the draft laws on the protection of personal data and the NCPDP, which are being finalised within the inter-institutional working group set up by the Ministry of Justice and which have been included in the Moldovan Parliament’s Plan on priorities for the period October – December 2022 in the legislative field,  and will contribute to the recognition of the adequate level of personal data protection in the RM and will generate a wide range of benefits, such as enhancing the credibility of the state and national partners, strengthening the economic strategy, developing the business environment, attracting investment, etc.

In this regard, the NCPDP is open to cooperation with relevant institutions concerning including the Republic of Moldova in the SEPA area in order to facilitate and streamline euro payment operations in our country.