September 21, 2010

Canada joins privacy enforcement agencies in establishing Global Privacy Enforcement Network

Canada has joined with privacy enforcement agencies around the world to establish the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), a network designed to facilitate cross-border cooperation in the enforcement of privacy laws. GPEN, which today announced the launch of its web site, recognizes the need for greater international cooperation on privacy issues.

“I am very pleased to be a part of this initiative,” says Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart. “My Office has seen dramatic growth in issues and investigations dealing with the online world and multinational companies, and we recognize that increased cooperation with our international colleagues is critical to our future success.”

“The GPEN initiative is a very positive step forward for enforcement agencies like mine, which are grappling with increasingly complex and global privacy issues,” says Commissioner Stoddart.

The need for greater cooperation in the enforcement of privacy laws has been recognized by privacy regulators and multilateral organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Discussions that led to the creation of GPEN began in the fall of 2009, and on March 10, 2010, representatives from many of the founding GPEN agencies met in Paris to discuss the network’s direction and to officially launch GPEN. 

To date, the participating GPEN privacy enforcement authorities are: U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (France), Office of the Privacy Commissioner, New Zealand, Israeli Law, Information and Technology Authority, Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Australia, Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, Ireland, Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (Spain), Information Commissioner’s Office (United Kingdom), Garante Per La Protezione Dei Dati Personali (Italy), Dutch Data Protection Authority (the Netherlands), Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (German), Office of the Victorian Privacy Commissioner, (Victoria, Australia).