About
Data Protection Day
Data Protection Day (28 January) celebrates the signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding treaty protecting privacy in the digital age. To mark the occasion, the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) are co-organising a one-day event focused on new frontiers in data protection. The conference will explore the challenges and opportunities that arise when innovation and emerging technologies intersect with privacy risks and the regulatory framework.
Check the practical information
The programme
Reset or refine?
Europe faces a pivotal moment in data protection. The modernisation of Convention 108 through Convention 108+ set the global standard for privacy. Nearly a decade after the entry into application of the GDPR, discussions on its future invite reflection on how Europe can maintain leadership in data protection. The conference will examine the example of existing law to explore how it can inform the next generation of legislation, asking how the EU can modernise and ensure a human-centric digital future without compromising on core principles.
Download the programme| 18:00 | SPECIAL EVENT 27 JANUARY | Data Protection Day celebrations organised by the Polish Permanent Representation to the EU, Avenue De Cortenbergh 16, 1000 Brussels. We hope you can join us at the Data Protection Day special event organised by the Permanent Representation of Poland and the Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs on 27 January 2026 at 18.00. Separate registration is required – the link will be available soon. |
| 08:30 – 09:00 | REGISTRATION & WELCOME COFFEE | |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Opening Remarks | by Wojciech Wiewiórowski, European Data Protection Supervisor |
| 09:15 – 10:30 | Main Session 1 | When is Data personal? The debate renewed by EDPS v SRB (C-413/23 P) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Keynote | by Beatriz de Anchorena, Head of the Agency for Access to Public Information (AAIP), Argentinian Data Protection Authority |
| 11:15 – 12:30 | Main Session 2 | Past, Present, Future? What is Convention 108+ really? And where does it belong? |
| 12:30 – 14:00 | LUNCH BREAK | |
| 14:00 – 14:15 | Keynote | by Jelena Virant Burnik, Deputy Chair of the European Data Protection Board |
| 14:15 – 15:30 | Main Session 3 | Data protection reform: Cut the red tape, not the rights? |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | COFFEE BREAK | |
| 16:00 – 16:15 | Keynote | by Anu Bradford, Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization at Columbia Law School |
| 16:15 – 17:30 | Main session 4 | Chasing shadows: Can regulation keep up as online tracking continues to transform? |
| 17:30 – 17:45 | Closing Remarks | by European Data Protection Supervisor Secretary-General |
| 17:45 – 18:45 | COCKTAIL RECEPTION | |
Testimonials
“In an evolving geopolitical landscape, the role of data protection extends far beyond the realm of privacy and it often becomes a safeguard for democracy itself. At the EDPS, we will continue upholding and promoting a culture of data protection, in Europe and elsewhere.”
Wojciech Wiewiórowski
European Data Protection Supervisor
Organisers
