Personal data protection was the subject of discussion at the Personal Data Protection Conference held on 28 June, 2022, at the initiative of the National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC), attended by the Director of the E-Governance Agency (EGA), Olga Tumuruc, together with representatives of the Government, Parliament, representatives of the public and private sector, academia, civil society, as well as national and international experts in the field.

In her opening message, Olga Tumuruc said, “The subject of data protection is one that we need to continuously discuss and have constantly on the agenda in order to reach a higher level of awareness of its importance in the society. We need to create a digital environment where citizens can trust that they are protected and where authorities have secure data processing mechanisms available, acting in strict compliance with the regulatory framework and ensuring optimal balance between data access and data security”.

In the first panel discussion on data protection in the digital age, facilitated by Vitalie Tarlev, Advisor, Economic Council under the Prime Minister, participants highlighted the need to adjust the national regulatory framework to EU standards, in the context of Moldova being granted the status of candidate country for EU accession. Speakers also appreciated the leading role of EGA in the field of digital transformation, including the way it addresses the objective of personal data protection in the creation of e-governance tools and services, ensuring efficient mechanisms for data storage, processing, use and protection in the digital governance ecosystem. In this context, the Citizen’s and Entrepreneur’s Government Portal (MCabinet) was mentioned as being a useful product and a reliable source of information for individuals and businesses.

In her presentation, the EGA Director referred to the practices implemented by the Agency in the field of personal data protection and highlighted that in the digital space, data is raw material for work and this data heritage has underlain all digital transformation processes in Moldova, which have propelled us to a high level of digital development. Olga Tumuruc also spoke about challenges, ICT mechanisms and tools, but also about the principles underlying the work of EGA in the field of data: data reuse, simplification and standardisation, data security and privacy, data proportionality and correlation, etc.

During the discussions, the attendants mentioned the importance of continuous information and digital literacy in society in order to promote user confidence in technology solutions, which would lead to a better uptake of electronic services.   

The Conference on Personal Data Protection was organised by the National Association of ICT Companies, within the framework of the Project “Personal Data Protection – Rights and Obligations in Moldova” of ABA Rule of Law Initiative, in collaboration with the Centre for Personal Data Protection, with the aim of clarifying issues related to the rights and obligations of subjects involved in the provision of digital services, the regulatory framework for personal data protection, international trends and the national context, and proposals will materialize in the Action Plan to be approved in the coming period.