You're reading: Rada adopts amendments to law on personal data protection

 The Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) has adopted amendments to the law on personal data protection, including the proposals of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. 

On Tuesday a total of 252 MPs of the 353 registered for voting supported a corresponding bill (No. 10472-1) with the president’s proposals.

In particular, the president proposed to exclude from the document regulations that authorize the State Service for Personal Data Protection to introduce technical regulation and certification in the personal data protection sector.

According to the president, the introduction of technical regulation and certification in personal data protection is inconsistent not only with the law on personal data protection, but also with the aim of the elaboration and application of the technical regulations.

Moreover, the law excludes a clause that authorizes the State Service for Personal Data Protection to draw up the procedure and demands for personal data protection in state information resources in information, telecommunication and information-telecommunication systems. As the president noted, the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine is authorized to implement these functions.

As reported, on November 8 the president vetoed the law on the cancellation of the obligatory state registration of personal databases of hired employers by business entities (No. 10472-1), which was adopted by Verkhovna Rada on Oct. 2.

The law foresees the cancellation of the obligatory state registration of personal databases, the keeping of which is related to the provision of employment, as well as those of the members of public, religious, professional societies, and political parties.

Moreover, the law proposes to change the scope of the law of Ukraine on the protection of personal data, in particular, establishing that it applies to all actions in personal data processing, and not only databases with personal data.

The parliament established that the law on personal data protection does not apply to personal data processing carried out by creative or literary workers, including journalists, “for professional purposes, providing a balance between the right to privacy and the right to freedom of expression.”

The law also provides subjects with the right to apply with an appeal on the violation of personal data protection not only to state bodies authorized to ensure personal data protection but also directly to the courts.

In addition, the law supplements the list of functions of the State Service for Personal Data Protection, among which is the coordination of corporate codes of conduct in accordance with Part 2 of Article 27 of the law on personal data protection.