Article 29 Data Protection Working Party
The Commission for the Protection of Privacy ensures respect of the fundamental right to data protection in accordance with the Belgian Law of 8 December 1992 (the Privacy Law). Pursuant to Directive 95/46/EC, every EU Member State has to set up such a body. These data protection authorities meet in the context of the Article 29 Personal Data Protection Working Party (shortened as Article 29 Working Party), known by that name as it was established in accordance with article 29 of Directive 95/46/EC.
The Article 29 Working Party is an independent European working group dealing with matters related to personal data protection and privacy. It consists of the "Privacy Commissions" of the 27 EU Member States, as well as of the European Data Protection Supervisor. Consequently, the Commission for the Protection of Privacy is a member of the Working Party.
The European Economic Area member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) have observer status. The Working Party's secretariat is provided by the "Data Protection Unit" of the Directorate-General Freedom, Security and Justice (FSJ) of the European Commission.
One of the Article 29 Working Party's tasks is to examine any matter related to the application of the national measures adopted under Directives 95/46/EC ( "Data Protection Directive") and 2002/58/EC ("Electronic Communications Directive").
The Article 29 Working Party regularly issues opinions and resolutions on several themes relating to privacy and personal data protection, with a view to promoting a harmonized application of these Directives in the EU's 27 Member States. It is also in charge of providing expert advice to the European Commission and of expressing its opinion on codes of conduct that are drawn up at community level.
Its opinions and other documents are public and can be consulted on its web site. Some of these documents are subject to public consultation, meaning that anyone can express his opinion about the theme in question. The Article 29 Working Party draws up a bi-annual work programme and an annual report, which are also public and available online.
Five times a year, the Article 29 Working Party holds a two-day plenary meeting in Brussels, at the offices of the European Union. Important preliminary and preparatory work is done in subgroups dealing with specific topics. The Privacy Commission and its Secretariat actively participate in the activities of several subgroups, notably the subgroup for the processing of medical data, for the processing of data relating to minors, for new information and communication technologies and for cross-border data transfers.
