As Albania advances its alignment with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), strengthening institutional capacities became essential. Recent legal amendments mandated the appointment of Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in both public institutions and private companies to ensure compliance with these new standards. To support this, ASDO, in cooperation with the Information and Data Protection Commissioner’s Office, organized a comprehensive two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) program aimed at building the capacities of professionals who would later deliver training modules to DPOs across multiple sectors.
On the first day, participants focused on the EU data protection legal framework, exploring GDPR principles, related EU directives, and the functions of supervisory authorities. They also examined the legal and practical challenges faced by DPOs and addressed internal responsibilities, including record-keeping, policy development, and data breach management.
The second day centered on compliance management, covering risk assessments, staff training, and building internal compliance checklists. It also addressed external duties such as website compliance, contract management, data subject rights handling, and effective communication with supervisory bodies. The training concluded with an interactive Q&A session and the sharing of resources to support ongoing learning.
The “SafeData Albania” initiative strives to create a lasting impact by advancing the expertise of Data Protection Officers, minimizing economic risks linked to non-compliance, increasing public confidence in data privacy, and reinforcing Albania’s legal framework for data protection.