The European integration process, combined with digitalization and internationalization has profoundly affected the development of human rights. The protection of natural persons in relation to the processing of personal data is a fundamental right. Article 8(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) and Article 16(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provide that everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her. The principles of, and rules on the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of their personal data should, whatever their nationality or residence, respect their fundamental rights and freedoms, in particular their right to the protection of personal data. Data Protection Regulation 679/2016 (GDPR) is intended to contribute to the accomplishment of an area of freedom, security, and justice and of an economic union, to economic and social progress, to the strengthening and the convergence of the economies within the internal market, and to the well-being of natural persons.
The topic of personal data protection is becoming increasingly important because of the pandemic environment, social distance and teleworking, the provision of more and more online services, has expanded its practical application. The collection, transfer, processing of personal data has begun to take place in a new digital environment, which is not fully known. It hides many risks for the protection of personal data from both theoretical and practical points of view. Another problematic niche is the EU’s interaction with Third countries in the direction of personal data protection. One of the main objectives of the current Regulation is to provide Union citizens with an adequate level of protection. Although the Regulation came into force on 25.05.2018 in the Member States, especially in countries like Bulgaria, it was accepted as another formality, but it hides many problematic points for the protection of human rights in the context of universal digitalization during pandemic situation. That is why the current topic deserves more in-depth study, both theoretically and practically. In the process of implementing the Regulation, businesses felt a great lack of qualified experts to adapt individual businesses to the new rules. So, there is a need, especially in the Members States that have joined the European Union more recently such as Bulgaria to foster the understanding of data protection in the context of EU integration, world pandemic situation and currently changing, both the practice and the agenda of inter-state, protection of human rights.
The current project covers several activities, grouped in 2 work packages, as follows: WP 1: Project Management and dissemination, which aims to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the project activities at SWU, achieve the envisaged objectives and results and to promote the projects the activities, knowledge, events, results, and the European funding source among the main target groups, stakeholders and the public society through development of a project website. WP 2: Jean Monnet Module on Data Protection, which aims update the curriculum in Law in accordance with SWU internal rules and the national accreditation requirements through preparation of course materials and teaching 3 year-course on Data protection in EU and Third Countries (45 academic hours lecture and 15 academic hours practice work per year) to approx. 90-120 students (incl. PhD students) per year majoring in Law, European Studies, Political Science and Economics. As well as there will be organization of 1 guest lecture per year, delivered by an expert in the field of personal data protection who will present the actual moments in practice. These guest lectures will be open to the public society and any other stakeholders and will raise the overall awarennce on hot EU topic. WP 2 includes research activities on Data protection Theory and practice. This activity includes the engagement of 6 researchers who will make a detailed study of national and foreign experience, as well as the practice of the CJEU and national courts on Data protection. The results of the research process it will be prepared and published 7 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journal in the country and/or abroad. Researchers will participate in 3 national or international forums on personal data protection. The next activity is the organization 2 one-day public roundtables in Bulgaria (Blagoevgrad at SWU campus) with min 30 participants (academia, students (incl. PhD. students), and other specialized audiences), which aims to support the open discussion and exchange of best practices, experiences, and knowledge on Data Protection.
