The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information

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Bonn/Berlin, 16/10/2020

Press release 26/2020

BfDI elected into Executive Committee of the Global Privacy Assembly

The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), Professor Ulrich Kelber, was elected yesterday into the executive committee of the International Conference of Data Protection Commissioners, the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA). Professor Kelber is glad about the trust shown by his nearly 140 international colleagues: “In today’s connected world, we need to find common solutions. The election gives us the opportunity to bring in also our European positions and perspectives. I will work towards ensuring that the GPA becomes an even more important voice in the global debate on data protection in the future.”

In line with this, the participants of the 42nd meeting agreed to publish in the future - also outside the conference - joint statements on important global data protection issues. In another resolution, the GPA calls for privacy-friendly solutions in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, for example concerning contact tracing. Together with Hong Kong, Colombia and the UK, the BfDI launched a resolution that tied the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to conditions. When personal data are processed by an AI system, this should be, among other things, transparent and non-discriminatory. In case of doubt, additional control should be carried out by humans.

Professor Kelber is the first German Data Protection Commissioner to be a member of the Executive Committee since its formal existence. He was unanimously elected. The members are appointed for two years and can be re-elected once.

You find further information at the GPA website.

Here you find the resolution of the 42nd GPA.