AmCham and PwC talk about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The protection of personal data and the new obligations stemming from the adoption of the new GDP Regulation in the EU were discussed at a roundtable organized jointly by AmCham and PwC Albania. The representative of the Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, Ms. Pjerina Gaxha, and the foreign expert from PwC Croatia, Dzenet Garibovic, delivered presentations on the subject matter and addressed questions by the participants.

Ms. Gaxha updated the participants on the additional obligations and rights that the new Regulation adopted in EU is expected to trigger, not only for the EU member countries, but also for other countries where EU nationals work. Ms. Gaxha also emphasized the obligation by the businesses and public institutions to protect personal data in line with the national legislation in force and the General Regulations. As the changes by the GDPR also require the Albanian Regulatory System to consider new ways and criteria for preserving, using and disseminating personal data of EU nationals, extensive work is being done by the Commissioner Office to apply the regulation and even impose administrative sanctions to ensure the implementation of orders, guidelines and recommendations of the Commissioner.

Ms. Garibovic and the team of PwC Albania experts explained in detail all the changes that have been brought about by this new Regulation already adopted in 2016, but which will come into force on May 25, 2018. She gave practical examples and shared best practices from the region and especially Croatia, where she chairs an AmCham Committee raising awareness on GDPR. The first to be affected by these changes are Albanian businesses that have employed EU citizens – anything from general personal information to financial data and more should be processed and used in line with this new EU Regulation.