Today, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) presented its Annual Report 2020. The report provides a detailed overview of the work carried out by the EDPB in a year marked by the worldwide pandemic.

EDPB Chair, Andrea Jelinek said: “2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered how we live and work. Given the increasing presence of data-driven technologies in addressing the pandemic, the awareness of data protection rights among individuals and organisations has never been more critical. It is important to note that the 2020 lockdowns in all our countries did not mean a slowdown of the EDPB’s activities. 2020 was marked by many major developments in the EU data protection legal sphere, requiring the EDPB’s expertise and guidance.”

During
the COVID-19 pandemic
, EEA Member States began taking measures to monitor, contain and mitigate the spread of the virus. The EDPB issued guidance on, amongst others,



location and contact-tracing apps; processing health data for scientific research; restrictions on data subject rights in a state of emergency and data processing in the context of reopening borders.

The Court of Justice of the European Union’s ruling in
Schrems II
had significant implications for EEA-based entities that transfer data to the U.S. and other third countries. The EDPB issued an FAQ document, followed later by Recommendations for Supplementary Measures when using International transfer tools, to ensure compliance with the level of protection required under EU law, and Recommendations on European Essential Guarantees contributing to the assessment of surveillance measures allowing access to personal data by public authorities in third countries. The Recommendations for Supplementary Measures were subject to a public consultation. The EDPB received over 200 contributions from various stakeholders, which it is currently analysing.

During 2020, the EDPB defined its
Strategy for 2021-2023
, which covers four main pillars with strategic objectives

📌 EDPB Annual Report 2020: Ensuring data protection rights in a changing world (Jun)
🏢 EFDPO European Federation of Data Protection Officers
📍 Jun