EDPS - European Data Protection Supervisor

*** The story your digital habits reveal – EU citizens in control of their data*** Browsing, swiping or chatting on social media platforms is part of daily life for 89% of young people between 16 and 29 years old. But here is the shift. According to Eurostat in 2025, 76.9% of consulted EU citizens actively managed access to their personal data 🛠️ . So what does that mean? More awareness, more choices, more power over their own data. In this series, we share how people across the EU are protecting themselves in an online world. One of the strongest actions someone can take is to refuse the use of personal data for advertising. 📋️ More than 58% surveyed people chose not to allow their personal data to be used for advertising. Your right to object can be exercised at any time. You can object to the processing of your data, and you also have the right to object to a decision based on an automated process, such as profiling, if it might significantly affect you. So what about you? How do you protect your personal data online? ✅️ More about your rights in the EU: https://lnkd.in/dyEH_9pu 📊 Explore the survey data: https://lnkd.in/dBWBBZJk

*** EU Open Day 2026 ***     Ahead of this year’s Europe Day, we are bringing glimpses from previous editions of the EU Open Day. This is a special moment when the European institutions open their doors to welcome you and present the work they do for European citizens.     As we celebrate the values that make us a Union, we invite you to join us at the European Parliament. From engaging discussions on data protection to exploring emerging technologies through games and other engaging activities, we look forward to seeing you.     When: 9 May 2026 🗓️ Where: European Parliament 📍    All details are here: https://lnkd.in/eQrwW-A3   📸 ©European Union    

*** Newsletter Digest *** The latest Newsletter Digest takes a look at three important recent developments: 🤖 a new strategic document setting out how we plan to supervise AI across EU public administration 🔐 an EDPS-EDPB joint opinion on Europe’s cybersecurity package 🧫 the recommendations on the proposed European Biotech Act and what it means for health data We also let you know about a couple of dates to put in your calendar: EU Open Day on 9 May 2026, and the High-Level Debate: “From Omnibus to Opportunity: Driving Data Protection and Innovation” on 8 June 2026. Listen wherever you get your favourite podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ebaxRuSC Subscribe to our monthly EDPS Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eGZkh5M2

*** EDPS has just launched a pilot project for an AI regulatory sandbox ***     Under the AI Act, the EDPS as supervisory authority may establish a regulatory sandbox. We have decided to seize this opportunity.     As market surveillance authority for the EU public administration, our objective is to provide a safe space to develop, train, test, and validate AI systems against the requirements of the AI Act. Leading by example is key, especially as many existing systems in the EU public sector will not fall under the AI Act before 2030.     🚀 For this pilot, we are working with the European Commission's Directorate-General Human Resources and Security on an AI system designed to support job matching in EU selection procedures. The system aims to assist recruiters in identifying suitable candidates for interviews and reduce the risk of bias.     This initiative has a dual purpose: providing concrete guidance on compliance challenges for specific AI use cases; and stress-testing our own readiness to design and operate a fully-fledged AI regulatory sandbox, both in terms of expertise and technical infrastructure. 

*** The story your digital habits reveal – EU citizens in control of their data ***     AI is reshaping how we search for information, work or navigate daily tasks. The latest numbers by Eurostat showcase that in 2025, a third of people surveyed in the EU used generative AI. But the real story is how:  🧑🎓 62% of young people are using it to support their education, from understanding complex topics to drafting ideas.  💼 Over 50% of working-age adults rely on AI for professional tasks.     While the uptake of AI is not equal across the EU, it is increasing everywhere, with countries like Denmark, Estonia, Malta and Finland leading the way. But why the growing urge to use it? AI is a part of everyday life: from powering tools across business, to education, to entertainment. But with speed comes important questions about automation, trust, and even fundamental rights.     In our latest edition of the TechSonar, we took a focused look at AI trends, exploring not just the risks of technologies shaping the future but the real-world impact they are already having today.     📖 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e4PjS7wn   🎧 Pick the topic and have a listen: https://lnkd.in/eSYBRbiZ    📊 Explore the data: https://lnkd.in/eD9PkKBB  

*** Roundtable: The intersection of AI and privacy governance *** Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiorowski delivered the opening speech at roundtable on AI and privacy governance organised by Cameron Kerry. Rapid advances in AI, from foundation models to large-scale data collection, have put the privacy debate back in the spotlight. In the EU, the Digital Omnibus draft could reshape how GDPR and AI Act address privacy in AI technologies. The roundtable explored how core privacy rights apply once personal data is embedded in AI models, how privacy risk should be shared across the AI supply chain, and whether new data-sharing frameworks can offer a viable middle ground between unrestricted scraping and strict localisation.

*** The GDPR – 10 years since its adoption *** Ten years ago, the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) marked a milestone for privacy and data protection in Europe. Built on decades of work since the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, the GDPR created a modern, harmonised system fit for the digital age - strengthening individuals’ rights, reinforcing accountability, and shaping a common approach across the EU. Over the past decade, it has proven its value: giving people greater control over their personal data, fostering trust in the digital economy, and inspiring similar frameworks around the world. As we look ahead, preserving this achievement remains essential. In the context of ongoing simplification efforts, the EDPS has emphasised that efforts to streamline rules should maintain a high level of protection and legal certainty. Ensuring clarity, consistency, and strong safeguards will be key to keeping Europe at the forefront of data protection in the years to come. Read more about the history of #GDPR: https://lnkd.in/dM_XEcS3

*** Privacy Symposium - Panel *** Supervisor Wojciech Wiewiorowski at Privacy Symposium in Venice took part in panel "Handling Extraterritorial Effects of Data Regulations: Enforcement, Conflict of Laws, and Cooperation”, addressing some of the most pressing cross-border challenges authorities and organisations are facing today. EU instruments such as standard contractual clauses already provide practical mechanisms: minimisation obligations, notification duties, clear competence rules, to manage tensions between jurisdictions without forcing a binary choice. GDPR's one-stop-shop and binding dispute resolution offer a proven model within the EU/EEA. Beyond it, bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding can pre-empt conflict by agreeing competence rules in advance. Global cooperation is no longer optional. Forums such as the Global Privacy Assembly and instruments like Convention 108+ reduce fragmentation and build shared expectations. "Global cooperation needs to grow stronger and should be a prime concern for us all. It is no longer an ancillary activity of an authority; it is and should be at the core of all its actions". Wojciech Wiewiórowski stressed.