January 28th marks Data Protection Day, an international occasion dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of privacy and personal data protection.
In 1981, the Council of Europe adopted Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty to address the protection of individuals with regard to the automatic processing of personal data. Convention 108 laid the foundations of modern data protection law and remains a cornerstone of the European data protection framework.
At its core lies a simple but powerful principle:
“Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.
This definition reminds us that personal data protection is not an abstract legal concept. Behind every dataset, there is a person. A person whose identity, autonomy and dignity deserve effective and continuous protection.
On Data Protection Day, we reaffirm that data protection is not merely a matter of regulatory compliance. It is a key element of trust, accountability and responsible digital governance, essential for sustainable business operations and the protection of fundamental rights in the digital economy.
At SGK Legal, we remain committed to supporting organisations in navigating the evolving data protection landscape and embedding privacy as a core value in their operations.