Тhe Project ‘Ensuring the Highest Degree of Privacy and Personal Data Protection through Innovative Tools for SMEs and Citizens — SMEDATA’ is co-funded by the European Commission under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship 2014-2020 Program of the European Union.
Overview:
Project Objectives
The overall objective of the SMEDATA Project is:
- To ensure the effective application of the General Data Protection Regulation through awareness, multiplying training and sustainable capacity building for SMEs and legal professionals.
To reach this ambitious goal, partners will strive to achieve the following underlying objectives:
o To elaborate a methodology for designing self-assessment and awareness tool, thus providing a sustainable approach for their implementation;
o Assisting the understanding and compliance with GDPR through the development of an innovative software tool.
Planned Work Packages
- Awareness and Training
- Self-assessment tool for sustainable awareness based on SMEs’ specific needs and processes from the prospective of personal data protection
- Development of Mobile Application for Citizens and SMEs
- Dissemination and Communication
Target Groups
- Micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – The definition of this target group is based on analysis and researches indicating that SMEs have neither contingency reserves, nor prepared work force for dealing with such enormous change as applying of new EU data protection rules. Concurrently, SMEs play a profound role in the economic development in all EU Member States. The greatest number of workers are employees of the SME entities.
- Legal practitioners – This group includes legal professionals dealing with data protection issues in the context of SMEs, for example in the area of contract law, company law and administrative law. The representatives of this group play the key role of translating legal requirements into legitimate practical measures and procedures aimed at achieving compliance with the new regulatory framework. Their various kinds of activities create the necessary environment for the lawful implementation of GDPR provisions. Collaboration between them and the national data authorities is of a great importance for ensuring compliance with the GDPR requirements. In addition, most of the legal practitioners are more or less representatives of the biggest group of legal entities, namely small and medium enterprises.
- Citizens – Since the primary objective of GDPR is to give individuals back control of their personal data, citizens are also targeted by the project. The proposed project activities are placing particular emphasis on ensuring that citizens are aware of and have acquired sufficient knowledge how to exercise effectively their rights as data subjects.
Expected Results
- High level of awareness about the new data protection rules among SMEs and their associations, including their legal advisors, as well as general public
- Capacity building on data protection issues with multiplying effect for the management, legal and other expert staff of SMEs, their associations as well as other bodies representing SMEs
- Sustainable and effective sector-based compliance with GDPR among business organisations through development and implementation of self-assessment and awareness tool
- Exchanged experience and best practices among project partners, participants of the international conferences and training events as well as other stakeholders
Duration of the Project
The project duration is 24 months starting from 01.12.2018.