The biggest ever data protection reform is on its way as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR” / “the Regulation”) comes into full force and effect on 25th May 2018 and after this date the Regulation will become a part of the rules which will be mandatory for all businesses, operating with personal data! Given all that, DGKV’s lawyers are already working around the clock to bring our clients’ business operations and systems involving processing of personal data in compliance with the GDPR. Furthermore, our data protection experts have been invited to speak at several high-profile business-orientated events dedicated to the impact of the GDPR. The GDPR Sofia conference, held on 29th January 2018 under the patronage of the Bulgarian Commission for Personal Data Protection and the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was one of them. Senior Associate Ralitsa Gougleva joined an expert panel of representatives of major international telecommunications and technology companies for a practical, experience-based, discussion on the preparedness for GDPR and the potential implications of the Regulation for businesses in Bulgaria. The one-day deep-dive conference created a platform for live and dynamic discussion where the delegates were able to address their urgent questions regarding the GDPR directly to Mariya Gabriel (EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society), Ventsislav Karadjov (Chair of the Commission for Personal Data Protection), Lilyana Pavlova (Minister of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU), and leading European Commission experts, European Parliament rapporteurs, and representatives of the business. Businesswise, what challenges does GDPR implementation pose to existing and potential data controllers and data processors? How advanced is the GDRP implementation process in Bulgaria? Will data controllers and data processors locally operating have come into compliance with GDPR by 25th May 2018? These questions and many more were discussed in the Business Experience to Share Session II of the event focused on service solutions.
Well done, Ralitsa!