The 28th of January – Data Protection Day

Every year on 28 January, the European community celebrates “Data Protection Day”. This year it is celebrated the 42nd anniversary of Convention No 108 for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, adopted in Strasbourg on 28 January 1981, and the 17th anniversary of this Day.

The purpose of Convention No 108 is to secure in the territory of each State Party for every individual, whatever his nationality or residence, respect for his rights and fundamental freedoms, and in particular his right to privacy, with regard to automatic processing of personal data re

The Republic of Moldova signed Convention No 108 on 4 May 1998 and ratified it by Parliament Decision No 483-XIV of 2 July 1999.

On 26 April 2006, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decided to launch a Data Protection Day, to be celebrated every year on 28 January.

In this regard, Council of Europe member states and not only, organize every year various activities and public events to mark the day. The Republic of Moldova celebrates this event together with all European countries.

Although the field of personal data protection is a relatively new one for the Moldovan society, nevertheless, we have managed in the last decade to make a lot of progress in ensuring respect for the right to privacy, as well as to align the  national legislation with European standards in the field of personal data protection.

Our role as the National Personal Data Protection Authority becomes more and more important and the annual celebration of this day is an opportunity to bring to the attention of the public the importance of respecting the principles of personal data protection, the right to privacy with regard to the protection of personal data.