On March 21, the 4th Day of Luxembourg archivists took place with the topic "The archives and the protection of personal data. Cleavages between legislation, research and archival work."
Representatives of the National Commission, the General Prosecutor of Luxembourg, many institutions of Luxembourg and foreign archives and a large number of researchers and historians met at the Cercle Cité in Luxembourg City. They discussed the legal framework for data protection, its involvement in the work of the historian and the way in which archivists manage data protection with free access to information.
Research and data protection
Following their discussions, the participants were able to conclude that research and data protection can be reconciled. Archivists are partners of both authorities responsible for data protection as well as the research community. They ensure that the privacy of individuals is protected, while guaranteeing a free access to information. The compromise between the vocation of the archives and data protection must still be sanctioned by a legal text harmonizing existing laws.
Contributions from participants will later be combined in a publication and will be on sale at the National Archives.