Wed 6 Feb 2008
Message of European Commission Vice-President Marco Frattini to the Duke Conference on 28 January 2008
Posted by Leonardo Cervera under Post Data Privacy Day
EU Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini
Source: Audiovisual Service of the European Commission
Mr. Frattini’s message read by Francesca Bignami at the beginning of the Duke Conference
- Today, on 28 January 2008, Europe is celebrating Data Protection Day.
- As Vice President of the European Commission, responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, I welcome today’s important event in North Carolina.
- The proclamation of a “Data Privacy Day” in North Carolina is a significant symbol on the broad universal consensus on the need for privacy protection, for everyone.
- I would like to thank the organizers of this important conference today at Duke University: this offers an excellent occasion to show and understand how necessary privacy protection is in a democratic society.
- We all know that the free flow of information is a necessity in our societies in a globalised economy. Equally, police and judicial authorities need to exchange personal information to ensure the security of people throughout the world.
- But: the protection of personal data is a necessary condition for this free flow of information across the globe.
- That is why we need to work effectively with our international partners, in particular the United States of America and its people.
- We have so much to share together! In November 2006 an informal High Level Contact Group was set up among US and EU on the occasion of a ministerial meeting in Washington/DC. This Group is discussing information sharing and protection of personal data for law enforcement purposes, with a view to find commonalities as part of a wider reflection on how best to prevent and fight terrorism and serious trans-national crime.
- This is just an example of the way we can join efforts and improve our mutual understanding. Let us work together to kick-start more awareness and provide information for citizens on their privacy rights. Let us work together to guarantee high levels of protection for personal data on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
