Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.11613/BM.2020.030201

Before and after enforcement of GDPR: Personal data protection requests received by Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency from academic and research institutions

Livia Puljak ; Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Health Care, Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Anamarija Mladinić ; Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency (AZOP), Zagreb, Croatia
Ron Iphofen ; Independent Research Consultant, La Rochelle, France
Zvonimir Koporc ; Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Health Care, Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Introduction: The European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was put in force on 25th May 2018. It is not known how many
personal data protection requests the national authority in Croatia had received before and after GDPR, and how many of those were related to research.
Materials and methods: We obtained data from the Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency (CPDPA) about requests/complaints related to
personal data protection that were received specifically from academic/research institutions, specifically the number and type of all cases/requests
between the years 2015-2019.
Results: In 2018, CPDPA had a dramatic increase in the number of requests in the post-GDPR period, compared to the pre-GDPR period of the same
year. In 2019, CPDPA received 2718 requests/complaints; less than in the year 2018. From 2015 to 2019, CPDPA received only 37 requests related to
research.
Conclusions: Very few requests about personal data protection from academic and research institutions in Croatia were submitted to the national
Croatian data protection authority. Future studies could explore whether researchers have sufficient awareness and knowledge about personal data
protection related to research, to adequately implement the GDPR regulations.

Keywords

data protection; scientific research; European data protection board; general data protection regulation

Hrčak ID:

244717

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/244717

Publication date:

15.10.2020.

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