On October 30 and 31, representatives from Moldova's National Center for Personal Data Protection (NCPDP) visited the Data State Inspectorate (hereafter – the Inspectorate). The purpose of the visit was to strengthen personal data protection practices in Moldova by learning from the Inspectorate's experience and discussing current issues in the field of data protection. This visit was part of a joint project between the Council of Europe’s Data Protection Unit and Moldova’s institution.
On the first day of the visit, Inspectorate Director Jekaterina Macuka introduced the Moldovan data protection specialists to the Inspectorate’s main tasks and its role in promoting personal data protection in Latvia. Discussions highlighted data protection challenges and opportunities in both countries, as well as potential future collaboration and best practices exchange.
One of the visit's key topics was the role of data protection officers (DPOs) in institutions and their significance. Representatives from the Data State Inspectorate provided insights into the history and development of this role, explaining how the position of data protection officers evolved in response to the increasing volume of data processing and the need to protect personal data. Before the introduction of the GDPR, responsibility for data protection was often divided among various organizational departments without a unified approach, which hindered effective data protection. Today, the role of data protection officers has become a critical element in institutional structures, ensuring not only compliance with legislation but also better data protection practices.
The Moldovan delegation showed great interest in the presentation, which included information on organizing data protection officer exams within the Data State Inspectorate, including the development of exam questions, assessment criteria, and listing certified specialists.
On the second day, the focus shifted to Privacy Impact Assessments. Representatives from the Data State Inspectorate provided insights into how this practice is implemented in Latvia, explaining how these assessments are conducted and who is responsible for them. They also discussed effective training strategies for others, such as public sector employees with limited or no knowledge of privacy issues. At the conclusion of the visit, newly developed guidelines on impact assessments in data protection were presented, which will serve as a valuable resource for future practice.
The visit took place in a friendly and professional atmosphere and strengthened the relationship between the data protection authorities of Moldova and Latvia.