Local authorities: Investigation by the Italian DPA on DPOs

You have encountered several violations in the communication of contact data?

The Italian DPA has launched an investigation against large local entities to verify compliance with the obligation to communicate the contact details of the Data Protection Officer. 

This control activity involves Public Administration and large entities that process relevant personal data in terms of quality and quantity and is aimed at adopting specific interventions.

The Data Protection Authority has initiated specific proceedings against some of these defaulting entities aimed at adopting corrective and sanctioning measures.

In the future, the same checks may also be extended to smaller local authorities and other public entities.

To be in line with the EU Regulation, the DPA recalls that when the processing of personal data is carried out by public subjects (e.g. State administrations, Regions, Provinces, Municipalities, universities, Chambers of Commerce, companies of the National Health Service, etc.) , with the exception of the judicial authorities in the exercise of their functions, the data controllers and processors are obliged to designate a DPO and to communicate their contact details. 

This provision aims to ensure that the Authority can contact the DPO easily and directly, given that one of its duties also includes that of acting as a point of reference between the public entity and the Authority it.