Data Protection expert joins the Council of Europe Data Protection Unit

Technology Partner expert on data protection and privacy rights, Rocio de la Cruz, has been appointed to the Council of Europe Data Protection Unit, a committee dedicated to understanding data protection rules and protecting individuals’ data.

As a member of the panel for the Council of Europe Data Protection Unit, Rocio will work alongside a panel of experts whose job it is to identify and analyse the emerging threats to individuals’ personal data, as well as the effective implementation of Convention 108 (the international treaty that protects personal data), its principles and its values.

Rocio joined BPE in September 2021 and brought with her an extensive knowledge of both the European data protection rules and the UK general data protection rules, and information law. She has global experience in advising on data protection and privacy law matters of every nature in different jurisdictions and is currently leading a number of complex global data protection projects in this field.

On the opportunity to cooperate with the Council, Rocio said “I am honoured to be appointed to this position and I look forward to working with my fellow experts in making a contribution to the protection of privacy rights, data protection frameworks and democratic principles in a technology world that is evolving so fast”.

She continues “I have a deep admiration for the Council of Europe, the actions and guidelines of which are (for example, in the field of AI) a model to be inspired by even for non-Member countries. I have no hesitation that the work developed by the Data Protection Unit will be crucial to set the standards of the modernisation and harmonisation of rules aimed to protect these essential rights. Being part of this journey will also provide me with broader visibility and knowledge that will favour to anticipate potential changes and help organisations to achieve an acceptable and modernised level of compliance under more comfortable reaction timescales”.

These notes have been prepared for the purpose of articles only. They should not be regarded as a substitute for taking legal advice.