Prague, May 16 (CTK) – The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) new EU rules will not much influence the work of the Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry since its collection of personal data is based on a legal duty, the ministry has told CTK.
“Consequently, the introduction of a new practice in relation to the public is not as demanding as in the case of the private sector,” the ministry said.
It must take the new rules into consideration in the processing of consular affairs and visas and the keeping of the voter lists at diplomatic missions abroad as well as the DROZD database of citizens travelling abroad, in which people can register voluntarily and the ministry can contact them more easily in case of extreme events.
The GDPR is to protect the EU citizens from abuse of their personal data, for instance, in the case of the provision of information on people’s behaviour on the Internet.
The GDPR applies to the Foreign Affairs Ministry as an employer.
It also works with the personal data of the people who are dealing with consular affairs, apply for visas and want to vote abroad. However, this handling of personal data is not based on the consent to data processing, but it ensues from the law.
The ministry says it considers the protection of the data collected for these purposes a natural part of the power execution.
In the case of the DROZD database, new clear rules were set for deleting personal data, the ministry added.
Diplomacy is also preparing a database of Czech citizens working in international institutions. “It will be fully based on the new strengthened rules for the respective persons, including their consent (to personal data processing),” the ministry said, citing an example of the GDPR impact.
The GDPR rules, adopted in 2016, will take effect on May 25.
