Annual report 2005 

Review of 2005

According to public opinion, it has become evident over the past few years that the protection of personal privacy is no longer a foregone conclusion. Concerns about terrorism, insecurity and social wrongdoings on the part of citizens, administrators, politicians and policy- makers have resulted in the regulations for personal data protection being used in the public debate as a scapegoat or denounced as an obstacle. In addition to the socio-political climate, the surveillance domain is also subject to radical changes.

Therefore, in2005 the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) [College Bescherming Persoonsgegevens] expressly posed the question as to what essentially the Wbp [Dutch Data Protection Act] should serve to protect and the path that must be taken in order to achieve this. In these changing times, the power of expression of the law is becoming less dependable and greater use must be made of the visions and findings of others. The Dutch DPA considers itself fortunate that in 005 - and also in the context of the forthcoming evaluation of the Wbp - it was able to rely upon the willingness of many discussion partners, including academics, experts in the field, companies and social organisations, to contribute their ideas in this regard.