European Data Protection Supervisor : Annual Report 2005

Immediately following this guide, you will find a mission statement and a foreword by Peter Hustinx, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS).

Chapter 1 - Balance and perspectives presents a general overview of the activities of the EDPS, also detailing the relevant legal framework. In addition, the chapter highlights results achieved in 2005 and puts forth objectives for 2006.

Chapter 2 - Supervision extensively describes the work carried out to ensure and monitor that the EU institutions and bodies comply with their data protection obligations. A general overview is followed by an analysis of the role of the data protection officers (DPO) in the EU administration. This chapter includes an analysis of prior checks, complaints and investigations treated in 2005, as well as the main findings of a paper on transparency and public access, published in July. It also includes a section on e-monitoring and an update on the central unit of Eurodac.

Chapter 3 - Consultation deals with the EDPS’s advisory role, focusing on a policy paper published in March and on opinions on legislative proposals and related documents, as well as on their impact. The chapter also contains an analysis of horizontal themes and introduces some new technological developments - such as the use of biometrics and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Chapter 4 - Cooperation describes the work carried out in key forums such as the Article 29 Working Party, in the joint supervisory authorities of the ‘third pillar’, and at the European as well as the International Data Protection Conference. A report on a workshop organised for international organisations closes the chapter.

Chapter 5 - Communication presents the information strategy and the use of different communication tools, such as the website, newsletters, the press service and speeches.

Chapter 6 - Administration, budget and staff contains a description of how the EDPS’s office was consolidated during the second year of business, running through budget issues, human resources questions and administrative agreements.

The report is completed by annexes, which contain relevant extracts of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001, a list of abbreviations, statistics for prior checks, the list of DPOs of institutions and bodies, a description of the composition of the secretariat, etc.

A separate executive summary has been published for those who prefer the short version of the main developments of 2005.

Those wanting to find out more about the EDPS are encouraged to visit our website, which remains our primary tool of communication (www.edps.eu.int).

Paperback copies of the annual report as well as the executive summary may be ordered free of charge; the contact details are easily found on our website.

Download full report at PDF format

European Data Protection Supervisor : Annual Report 2005