EU Data Protection Supervisor hearings likely delayed to January

Selection of the next European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) – the privacy watchdog of the EU institutions – is likely to be pushed back to January, Euronews understands from European Parliament sources.

The mandate of the current EDPS, Wojciech Wiewiórowski – who has held the position since 2019 – ends on 5 December. 

Hearings in the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, LIBE, were meant to take place in the second half of November, but the European Commission, which is in charge of the process, only approved its shortlist of three to four candidates on 13 November, a spokesperson for the Commission confirmed to Euronews. 

The spokesperson did not comment on whether it would make the names public. 

Key LIBE lawmakers will likely decide on Thursday to postpone the hearings until January, to allow the candidates and lawmakers enough time to prepare, a source briefed on the discussions, told Euronews.

A first round of interviews took place last month, followed by an assessment centre.

Alongside a vote in Parliament, the candidate also needs to be endorsed by representatives of the 27 EU member states.

In addition to Poland’s Wiewiórowski, who is seeking re-election, French university professor François Pellegrini and Dutch privacy official Hielke Hijmans told Euronews they have submitted applications.

The EDPS holds EU institutions accountable for privacy compliance, though it’s less powerful than national privacy watchdogs, which can fine big tech companies for violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.

Last March the EDPS found that the Commission’s use of Microsoft products was not in line with data protection rules, for example. It also advises Commission and Parliament on privacy policies and legislation.