There are several national data protection authorities across the world, tasked with protecting information privacy. In the European Union and the EFTA member countries, their status was formalized by the Data Protection Directive[1] and they were involved in the Madrid Resolution.
This project is a part of the work of the International Law Commission of the United Nations.
- On the European level, it is the G29 and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). The process was backed in 2005 by the Council of Europe, during the World Summit on the Information Society (Tunis, November 2005), and in 2006/2007 within forums on Internet governance (Athens 2006, Rio 2007).
- On 12 June 2007, OECD issued a recommendation entitled "OECD Recommendation on Cross-border Co-operation in the Enforcement of Laws Protecting Privacy". It aimed to improve national Privacy law enforcement so national authorities can better cooperate with foreign authorities and put in place efficient international mechanisms to ease trans-frontier cooperation for legislation protecting privacy.[2] This recommendation was implemented with the 2010 founding of the Global Privacy Enforcement Network.
- An Ibero-American network of data protection exists. In May 2008, during its 6th meeting, in Colombia, its declaration asking international conferences on data protection and privacy to "pursue their efforts, regardless of their geographical location, in order to adopt common legal instruments".
- Another network is that of the Central and Eastern data protection authority (CEDPA). This network has expressed its will to pursue and strengthen its activities within the CEDPA, notably to elaborate common solutions and assist new members with the establishment of data protection legislation. That was during the June 2008 meeting in Poland.
European Economic Area
- Austria: Austrian Data Protection Authority (German: Datenschutzbehörde)
- Belgium: Belgian Data Protection Authority (Dutch: Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit (GBA), French: Autorité de protection des données (APD), German: Datenschutzbehörde), also known as APD-GBA
- Bulgaria: Bulgarian Data Protection Authority (Bulgarian: Комисия за защита на личните данни)
- Cyprus: Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection (Greek: Γραφείο Επιτρόπου Προστασίας Δεδομένων Προσωπικού Χαρακτήρα)
- Czech Republic: Office for Personal Data Protection (Czech: Úřad pro ochranu osobních údajů (ÚOOÚ))
- Denmark: Danish Data Protection Agency (Danish: Datatilsynet)
- Estonia: Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate (Estonian: Andmekaitse Inspektsioon)
- Finland: Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman (Finnish: Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto)
- France: Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (lit. 'National Commission on Informatics and Liberty'), also known as CNIL
- Germany: Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (German: Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI))
- Note: Competent supervisory authorities for the enforcement of data protection in the private sector are the respective state authorities.[3]
- Greece: Hellenic Data Protection Authority (Greek: Αρχή Προστασίας Δεδομένων Προσωπικού Χαρακτήρα), also known as HDPA
- Hungary: Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (Hungarian: Nemzeti Adatvédelmi és Információszabadság Hatóság (NAIH))
- Iceland: Data Protection Authority (Icelandic: Persónuvernd)
- Ireland: Data Protection Commissioner (Irish: An Coimisinéir Cosanta Sonraí), also known as DPC
- Italy: Italian Data Protection Authority (Italian: Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali), also known as Italian DPA
- Latvia: Data State Inspectorate (Latvian: Datu valsts inspekcija, Russian: Государственная инспекция данных)
- Liechtenstein: Datenschutzstelle
- Lithuania: State Data Protection Inspectorate (Lithuanian: Valstybinė duomenų apsaugos inspekcija (VDAI))
- Luxembourg: National Commission for Data Protection (German: Nationale Kommission für den Datenschutz, French: Commission nationale pour la protection des données), also known as CNPD
- Malta: Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner, also known as IDPC
- Netherlands: Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP))
- Norway: Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Norwegian: Datatilsynet)
- Poland: Polish Data Protection Commissioner (Polish: Urząd Ochrony Danych Osobowych (UODO))
- Portugal: National Commission Data Protection (Portuguese: Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD)), also known as NCDP
- Romania: National Authority for the Supervision of Personal Data Processing (Romanian: Autoritatea Naţională de Supraveghere a Prelucrării Datelor cu Caracter Personal), also known as ANSPDCP
- Slovakia: Office for Personal Data Protection of the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Úrad na ochranu osobných údajov Slovenskej republiky)
- Slovenia: Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: Republika Slovenija Informacijski pooblaščenec)
- Spain: Spanish Data Protection Agency (Spanish: Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD))
- Andalusia: Transparency and Data Protection Council of Andalusia (Spanish: Consejo de Transparencia y Protección de Datos de Andalucía)
- Basque Country: Basque Data Protection Authority (Basque: Datuak Babesteko Euskal Bulegoa, Spanish: Agencia Vasca de Protección de Datos)
- Catalonia: Catalan Data Protection Authority (Catalan: Autoritat Catalana de Protecció de Dades (APDCAT))
- Sweden: Swedish Data Protection Authority (Swedish: Datainspektionen), also known as Swedish DPA
- United Kingdom: Information Commissioner's Office, also known as ICO
Africa
- Angola: Data Protection Agency (Portuguese: Agência de Proteção de Dados), known as APD
- Egypt: No national authority is responsible for data protection.
- Ghana: Data Protection Commission
- Morocco: Commission nationale de contrôle de la protection des données à caractère personnel (lit. 'National Commission for the Control of the Protection of Personal Data'), also known as CNDP
- Mozambique: No national authority is responsible for data protection.
- Nigeria: National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) provide services regarding data protection.
- Senegal: Commission de protection des Données Personnelles (lit. 'Commission for the protection of Personal Data'), also known as CDP
- South Africa: Information Regulator[4]
- Tunisia: National Authority for Protection of Personal Data (French: Instance nationale de protection des données personnelles), known as INPDP
- Zimbabwe: There is currently no data protection authority but the Zimbabwe Media Commission comments on the degree of protection of privacy from public bodies programs.
Central America
- Costa Rica: Agency for the Protection of Individual's Data (Spanish: Agencia de Protección de datos de los Habitantes), known as PRODHAB
- Dominican Republic: No national authority is responsible for data protection.
- Honduras: National Civil Registry (Spanish: Registro Nacional de las Personas)[6] and Institute for the Access to Public Information (Spanish: Instituto Acceso Informacion Publica)[7]
- Panama: No national authority is responsible for data protection.
Article 28 of EU directive 95/46/EC
OECD Recommendation on Cross-border Co-operation in the Enforcement of Laws Protecting Privacy