APEC Data Privacy Meetings

APEC 2007 - First Data Privacy Meeting

 22 - 26 January 2007 Canberra, Australia

The first Senior Officials Meeting and Data Privacy meeting for APEC 2007 was held in Canberra on 22-26 January 2007.

Monday 22 & Tuesday 23 January - Data Privacy Seminar

The Data Privacy Seminar on International Implementation of the APEC Privacy Framework was held on 22–23 January 2007 in Canberra, Australia.  The focus of the seminar was the development and use of Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPRs) by business, and the work of the seminar involved considering what the requirements for a system that gives effect to CBPRs would be and what a feasible model for implementing CBPRs might look like.

In particular, the seminar introduced the concept of four basic elements being required for a CBPR system: self-assessment; compliance review; recognition/acceptance; and dispute resolution/ enforcement (see diagram below).  These elements were derived from the APEC Privacy Framework as a place to start in developing a system to give effect to CBPRs.

Diagram of requirements for a Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPRs) The seminar introduced the concept of four basic elements being required for a CBPR system: self-assessment; compliance review; recognition/acceptance; and dispute resolution/ enforcement. These elements were derived from the APEC Privacy Framework as a place to start in developing a system to give effect to CBPRs. 1. Self-Assessment: Organisations need to self-assess: their internal policies and procedures to develop appropriate CBPRs, and their CBPRs to ensure they adhere to APEC Privacy Principles. 2. Compliance Review: There needs to be a review of an organisation’s assertion that their CBPRs comply with the APEC Privacy Framework and that the organisation has the means to comply with those rules as data moves across borders. 3. Recognition / Acceptance: When personal information moves across borders, some form of status needs to be given by economies to CBPRs that have undergone review. 4. Dispute Resolution / Enforcement: Mechanisms for cooperating in investigations, resolving disputes and enforcing CBPRs in a cross border context need to established

The general consensus reached was that a ‘Choice of Approach’ type implementation model supported by trustmarks would be the most feasible.  The key feature of this model is that each economy chooses the entities and procedures that will be used within the economy to assess the compliance of an organisation’s CBPRs with the APEC Privacy Framework.  This level of flexibility was considered important by seminar participants and reflects guidance on domestic implementation in paragraph 31 of the Framework:

31.  …In practice, the Framework is meant to be implemented in a flexible manner that can accommodate various methods of implementation, including through central authorities, multi-agency enforcement bodies, a network of designated industry bodies, or a combination of the above, as Member Economies deem appropriate.

Discussions emphasised that trustmarks could play a significant role in CBPR system to assist economies in reviewing and giving recognition to organisations’ CBPRs.  Importantly it was identified that a CBPR system must be: flexible but certain; efficient but effective; trusted by all (including government, consumers, business and regulators); and consistent with domestic regimes.

Wednesday 24 & Thursday 25 (morning) January - Data Privacy Sub-Group Meeting

The first meeting of the Data Privacy Sub-Group for APEC 2007 was held on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 (morning) January.

Thursday 25 (afternoon) & Friday 26 (morning) January - ECSG Meeting

The first meeting of the ECSG for APEC 2007 was held on Thursday 25 (afternoon) and Friday 26 (morning) January.

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APEC 2007 - Second Data Privacy Meeting

25 - 29 June 2007 Cairns, Australia

The second Senior Officials Meeting and Data Privacy meeting for APEC 2007 was held in Cairns from 25-29 June 2007.

Monday 25 & Tuesday 26 June - Data Privacy Seminar

The seminar brought together key privacy experts, government officials, privacy regulators and supervisory authorities, businesses and APEC member economies to discuss and develop cooperative cross-border arrangements for implementing a Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) system based on the preferred model identified in the First Data Privacy Meeting.

The seminar also provided input to decisions on APEC projects to undertake in 2008 within the proposed Pathfinder initiative that would assist in implementing these cooperative arrangements. The seminar built on the conclusions reached by the First Technical Seminar in January in Canberra and the subsequent Data Privacy Sub-Group meeting. The outcomes of the seminar discussions fed directly into the work of the APEC Data Privacy Sub-Group which met on 27 June. 

Documents available from the Seminar include:

These documents are external links to documents available on the APEC Information Management Portal - http://aimp.apec.org. Where possible file sizes and document types have been identified. If you are having difficulty accessing these documents please contact the Privacy & FOI Policy Branch on 6271 5111.

Wednesday 27 June - Data Privacy Sub-Group Meeting

The second meeting of the Data Privacy Sub-Group for 2007 was held on Wednesday 27 June.

Friday 29 June - Electronic Commerce Steering Group

Significant progress was made during the last meeting held in Cairns, Australia on 29 June when the ECSG approved the APEC Data Privacy Pathfinder and its workplan.  The Pathfinder seeks to create implementation frameworks by pursuing multiple projects that work toward achieving an overarching set of objectives and accountable cross-border information flows, progressing the implementation of the APEC Privacy Framework.  The Pathfinder was launched and formally adopted at the APEC Ministerial Meeting and APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in September 2007.

APEC 2008 - First Data Privacy Meeting

19 -24 February 2008 Lima, Peru

The first Senior Officials Meeting and Data Privacy meeting for APEC 2008 was held in Lima from 19-24 February 2008.

Tuesday 19 February & Wednesday 20 February – Data Privacy Seminar

The purpose of the seminar was to foster an enhanced understanding of the diverse cultures of privacy among APEC member economies and to highlight the manner in which the APEC Privacy Framework can address privacy in the region in a manner that is effective and that respects the differences across the region.

The work of the seminar was further intended to provide information and resources to emerging economies about the benefits and opportunities provided by the adoption of the APEC Privacy Framework . Specifically, the seminar included sessions focusing on the needs of organizations seeking or providing processing services in the APEC region.

A key aim of the seminar included encouraging the involvement of economies, particularly emerging economies, in the Data Privacy Pathfinder and to further the progress of the Pathfinder projects.

Documents available from the Seminar include:

These documents are external links to documents available on the APEC Information Management Portal - http://aimp.apec.org. Where possible file sizes and document types have been identified. If you are having difficulty accessing these documents please contact the Privacy & FOI Policy Branch on 6271 5111.

Thursday 21 February 2008 – Data Privacy Pathfinder Project workshop

Members of the Sub-Group attended this workshop to discuss practical approaches to developing and implementing the pathfinder projects.

Friday 22 February 2008 – Data Privacy Sub-Group meeting

The first meeting of the Data Privacy Sub-Group for 2008 was held on Friday 22 February.

Sunday 24 February 2008 – Electronic Commerce Steering Group meeting

At this meeting the ECSG adopted the APEC Data Privacy Pathfinder Projects Implementation Work Plan. This document provides a framework for the implementation of the Data Privacy Pathfinder and outlines how the Data Privacy Sub-group will develop test and evaluate the pathfinder projects.


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Last Updated: 25 July 2008