Beltug meets with DPA on Belgian privacy law, biometrics and more

At the meeting, the participants highlighted the need to update Belgian privacy law, particularly considering the EU’s Digital Omnibus proposal. However, there is currently no definitive plan for a legislative update and any revision will be both complicated and time-consuming.

Guidelines on privacy and data protection

This complex legal landscape environment around privacy and data protection makes compliance difficult for organisations. The participants discussed the importance of practical guidelines on privacy. Offering clear interpretations of the existing legislation would prevent every organisation from individually ‘reinventing the wheel’ with its own interpretation. Consistent guidance will enable significant economies of scale and more uniform compliance across sectors.

Updating biometrics guidance

One key area for guidance is biometric technology. In the meeting, Beltug emphasised the importance of biometrics for several sectors. To give just one example, in highly secured R&D sites employees wear protective clothing that makes traditional badge-based access systems unworkable. However, the use of biometrics is too restricted in Belgium.

It is clear that updates to Belgian privacy law should address biometric technologies more explicitly, but organisations cannot afford to wait for legislative reform, especially considering how long that will take. Beltug and the other meeting participants stressed the value of updating the DPA’s recommendations on biometrics in the meantime.

Unclear responsibilities create legal uncertainty

Finally, the participants raised the concern about the challenges resulting from the coexistence of the Flemish supervisory authority (Vlaamse Toezichtscommissie – VTC) and the federal DPA. While this issue is not new, it continues to create legal uncertainty for the many organisations and entities of the Flemish government.