The public's trust in data protection is critically dependent on how well infringements on individuals’ privacy are managed. Traditionally, the EDPS has processed complaints internally, with minimal visibility provided to the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies (EUIs) and the wider public. While we ensure rigorous adherence to protocols and standards, this closed process could benefit from increased transparency to further build the public’s trust in data protection.
Objective: The initiative aims to reform the way the EDPS discloses information on complaints and how we handle and resolve them. By sharing data on the complaints received and their resolutions publicly, we can demystify how these are handled, highlight our work, and share success stories and lessons learned with EUIs and the wider public.
New Approaches & Innovations:
- Assessment of existing Complaints and Resolutions: Establish a current inventory of complaints and their resolutions to assess what can be made public, whilst taking into account requirements relating to privacy, personal data protection and confidentiality, as well as other legal obligations.
- Transparency Reports: Periodic publication of reports that summarise complaints statistics, resolution metrics, and key learnings.