GDPR - Are you ready?

Last week the Malta Employment Association organised an information session on GDPR Compliance that took place at the Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana. 

From left to right: Mr Nick Camilleri (Managing direct at Avantech Ltd), Dr Charlotte Camilleri (Executive in EU and Legal affairs at MEA), Mr Saviour Cachia (Information  and Data Protection Commissioner) & Mr Ian Deguara (Director of Technical Affairs at the IDPC)

General Data Protection Regulation requirements apply to each Member State of the European Union, aiming to create more consistent protection of consumer and personal data across EU Member States. In April 2016 the General Data Protection Regulations were adopted at EU level. The GDPR has to be enforced by the 25th May 2018. Companies that fail to achieve GDPR compliance before the deadline will be subject to stiff penalties and fines. 

The aim of this information session was to update participants with the latest developments on GPDR and to inform them how to become compliant with the regulations by the 25th May 2018. 

There was a very good turnout for this event and a large number of them participated actively in the session. The MEA felt a need to organise this session to inform employers on how to be compliant with the new Data Protection Regulations adopted at EU level in April 2016 and which are to be enforced by the 25th May 2018. After the welcome address by Dr Charlotte Camilleri, Mr Ian Deguara gave a presentation on the General Data Protection Regulations. Mr Ian Deguara is the Director of Technical Affairs at the Office of the Information & Data Protection Commissioner. Mr Nick Camilleri, the Managing Director of Avantech Ltd, then gave his presentation on how document automation can help business with GDPR compliance. The session outlined the need for change in this regulation, especially in today’s environment of increasingly exposed and vulnerable information. Data protection and privacy challenges are currently on the increase and therefore the need to modernise the existing set of data protection rules was quite high. The powers of the commissioner were explained as investigative, corrective, authorisation and advisory and also the powers to engage in legal proceedings. Mr Ian Deguara described the conditions for consent, right of access, right to data portability and the required security of processing. He also delved into the time requirements for retaining and disposing of certain data. There was also a recommendation for companies with large amounts of data to have a data protection officer within the business. The session ended with closing remarks from Dr. Charlotte Camilleri from MEA, Mr Ian Deguara and also by the Information and Data Protection Commissioner, Mr Saviour Cachia.

In view of the high demand and the limited spaces available for this event, MEA will be holding other sessions with the next session being held at the MEA premises in South Street, Valletta on Thursday 2nd November at 14:00 hours. Registration by email on admin@maltaemployers.com or by calling on 21222992 / 21237585 is required.