Council of Europe conventions and rights

  • Supervisory authorities and transborder data flows (ETS No. 181) of 8 November 2001

    (Additional Protocol to Convention 108)

    The Additional Protocol opened for signature in Strasbourg on 8 November 2001. It requires Parties to set up supervisory authorities, exercising their functions in complete independence, which are an element of the effective protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data. With the increase in exchanges of personal data across national borders, it is necessary to ensure the effective protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in particular the right to privacy in relation to such exchanges of personal data. (Source: www.coe.int)

    The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg ratified the Additional Protocol on 24 February 2004.

  • Amendments to Convention 108 (accession of the European Communities) of 15 October 1999

    Accession by the Communities reflects the European Union's wish to develop co-operation with the Council of Europe and help create a stronger international forum on data protection, particularly vis-à-vis third countries. As the text stood at the time, only States could be Parties to the Convention. It was therefore necessary to draft amendments allowing the European Communities to accede. These amendments were adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 15 June 1999.

  • Convention for the protection of personal data (ETS No. 108) of 28 january 1981

    The Convention opened for signature on 28 January 1981 (and came into force on 1 October 1985) and was the first legally binding international instrument in the data protection field. Under this Convention, the parties are required to take the necessary steps in their domestic legislation to apply the principles it lays down in order to ensure respect in their territory for the fundamental human rights of all individuals with regard to processing of personal data. (Source: www.coe.int)

    The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg ratified the Convention on 10 February 1988; it came into force on 1 June 1988.

  • Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 04 November 1950

    The European Convention on Human Rights, concluded in Rome on 4 November 1950, sets out a list of rights and fundamental freedoms such as the right to life, the prohibition of slavery and forced labour, the right to liberty and security and the right to respect for private and family life. Other rights have been added by the adoption of additional protocols to the Convention.

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