President Karol Nawrocki signed legislation enacting the European Union’s Data Governance Act (DGA) in Poland on Thursday, according to the President’s Chancellery.
Data Management Revolutionized with DGA Implementation
The President’s Chancellery announced that President Karol Nawrocki signed the law on data management, implementing the European Union’s Act on Data Governance (DGA) in Poland. The new regulations concern the application of the DGA within Poland, including the reuse of certain categories of protected data.
The law aims to enable full implementation of the EU’s Data Governance Act (DGA) in Poland, regulating data intermediation services to facilitate operations for companies and organizations specializing in data transfer between entities.
Protected Data Reuse Provisions
The DGA allows for the reuse of protected data collected by public institutions. Anonymized datasets will be accessible only to specifically designated entities, including universities, higher education institutions, research institutes, and public administration bodies, primarily for scientific research purposes.
GUS Role in Data Reuse Requests
According to the law, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) will assist public sector entities in processing requests for the reuse of protected data.
Data Altruism and Voluntary Sharing
The new regulations also address data altruism – the voluntary sharing of data by individuals and organizations for socially beneficial purposes, respecting privacy and the right to withdraw consent for data processing. Dedicated data altruism organizations will manage this process.
Expanded Powers for Data Protection Authority
The President of the Office for the Protection of Personal Data will gain new powers, including registering and monitoring data altruism organizations. It will also be the competent authority for data intermediation services, and will impose penalties for violations, up to 200,000 zł for reporting breaches and 2 million zł for service provision violations. Appeals can be made to administrative courts, but the President of UODO may issue warnings instead of fines.
Understanding the DGA and its Impact
The DGA obligates member states to provide a means of appeal regarding decisions concerning the reuse of protected data. Consequently, the law designates the Minister of Digital Affairs as the appellate body for decisions issued by almost all public sector entities.
Effective Date
The law will come into effect three months after its official publication. (PAP)
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