The European Data Protection & Privacy Conference Celebrates 15 Years at the Heart of Europe’s Digital Rulebook

The European Data Protection & Privacy Conference returns to Brussels for its landmark 15th edition, marking fifteen years at the forefront of Europe’s data protection debate. A key fixture on the Brussels calendar, the conference continues to foster lively, interactive discussions on the future of privacy and digital regulation, convening more than 200 privacy professionals, senior EU and international policymakers, national regulators, civil society representatives and industry leaders each year.

As Europe enters a new chapter in its digital policy journey, this year’s anniversary edition takes place against the backdrop of the release of the European Commission’s Digital Omnibus Package. With targeted amendments to the GDPR, agreement on the GDPR Procedural Regulation, and an expanding digital rulebook that includes the AI Act, Digital Services Act (DSA), and Digital Markets Act (DMA), the 15th Annual Conference will explore how Europe can refine its framework to support innovation, competitiveness, and fundamental rights in equal measure.

A Defining Moment for Europe’s Digital Future

Seven years after the GDPR reshaped global data governance, Europe is now focused on recalibration. This year’s discussions will examine whether proposed simplifications and clarifications, including around the definition of personal data, transparency obligations, scientific research, and legitimate interests in AI model training, can provide greater legal certainty while preserving the accountability and rights-based foundations that have made the GDPR a global benchmark.

Opening keynote speeches will be delivered by:

• Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission
• Martynas Dobrovolskis, Vice-Minister of Justice, Lithuania

Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission

Their addresses will set the tone for a day of high-level debate on enforcement reform, cross-border cooperation, and the future of Europe’s Digital Single Market.

Key Themes for 2026

The GDPR at a Crossroads
With the Digital Omnibus Package and the GDPR Procedural Regulation aiming to reduce red tape and streamline cross-border enforcement, panellists will assess whether these reforms meaningfully reduce compliance burdens and unlock responsible digital innovation or whether further safeguards are required to protect fundamental rights.

Placing Individuals at the Centre of the Digital Rulebook
As Europe advances initiatives including the Digital Fairness Act and new measures on automated consent and browser-based signals, discussions will explore how to deliver coherence across the GDPR, DSA, DMA and ePrivacy frameworks. Can simplification truly empower users and rebuild trust, or does it risk weakening meaningful consent and transparency?

Breaking Regulatory Silos: Competition Meets Privacy
A dedicated fireside chat will examine the increasingly complex interplay between competition law and data protection, exploring how DMA obligations on data portability and interoperability align with GDPR principles of minimisation and purpose limitation — and what this convergence means for innovation and market fairness.

Building Bridges in a Fragmented Global Landscape
With geopolitical tensions reshaping digital sovereignty strategies worldwide, the conference will take a global view on data protection. Policymakers and regulators from the EU, South Korea, Brazil, the OECD and beyond will discuss adequacy decisions, mutual recognition frameworks, and how to move from the principle of “Data Free Flow with Trust” to practical implementation.

Data Privacy and the Digital Transformation of Public Services
As governments accelerate digital public services, sessions will explore how to reconcile cloud adoption, AI deployment, cybersecurity, and the EU Digital Identity Wallet with robust privacy-by-design principles and citizen trust.

Data, Privacy, and AI: Enabling Trustworthy Innovation
The closing session will focus on the intersection of the GDPR, the EU AI Act, and emerging global AI governance initiatives. Experts will examine how privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), data minimisation, and converged data-risk governance can support compliant, trustworthy AI ecosystems in an era of generative and agentic AI.

A Distinguished Line-Up of Speakers

Confirmed speakers include:

• Christel Schaldemose, Vice-President, European Parliament
• Zdravko Vukić, Deputy Chair, EDPB
• Yoon Jeong Choi, Head of the International Cooperation Division, South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC)
• Eduardo Gomes Salgado, General-Coordinator for Institutional and International Relations, Brazilian National Data Protection Agency (ANPD)
• Anne Debet, Vice-President, CNIL
• Karolina Mojzesowicz, Deputy Head of Unit, Data Protection, DG JUSTICE, European Commission
• Louisa Klingvall, Acting Head of Unit, International Affairs and Data Flows, DG JUST, European Commission
• Jörn Wittmann, Group Privacy Ambassador, Volkswagen Group
• Fernando de Pablo Martín, Director General, Digital Office, City of Madrid
• Michael König, Head of Unit, Digital Platforms II, Markets and Cases VI: Digital Platforms, DG COMP, European Commission

alongside other senior representatives from industry, civil society, national data protection authorities, and international organisations.

Fifteen Years of Shaping Europe’s Privacy Debate

Over the past decade and a half, the European Data Protection & Privacy Conference has established itself as a must-attend forum for shaping the trajectory of data governance in Europe and beyond. From the early debates surrounding the GDPR’s adoption to today’s complex discussions on AI, digital fairness, and global regulatory convergence, the conference has consistently provided a platform for constructive dialogue and forward-looking policymaking.

As Europe seeks to strengthen competitiveness while preserving trust, this 15th anniversary edition offers a timely opportunity to reflect on progress made and to chart the course for the next chapter of Europe’s digital transformation.

For detailed information on the agenda, speakers, and registration, please visit the event website. For speaking opportunities, sponsorship, or further inquiries, please contact us at dataprotectionconference@forum-europe.com.