EU and international institutional developments related to

EU institutions and agencies

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EU INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES	RESOURCES (IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
EUR-LEX	COVID-19 Repository (a non-exhaustive regularly updated list of documents related to the EU response to the COVID-19 pandemic, published on EUR-Lex, per thematic area)
EUROPEAN COMMISSION	'Coronavirus outbreak - Joint Statement European Commission, ENISA, CERT-EU and Europol' (20 March 2020): click here. 'Commission Recommendation of 8.4.2020 on a common Union toolbox for the use of technology and data to combat and exit from the COVID-19 crisis, in particular concerning mobile applications and the use of anonymised mobility data' (8 April 2020): click here (pdf). 'Joint European Roadmap towards lifting COVID-19 containment measures' (8 April 2020): click here. 'Mobile applications to support contact tracing in the EU’s fight against COVID-19 \| Common EU Toolbox for Member States - Version 1.0', eHealth Network (15 April 2020): click here (pdf). Press Statement, 'Coronavirus: An EU approach for efficient contact tracing apps to support gradual lifting of confinement measures' (16 April 2020): click here. 'Coronavirus: Guidance to ensure full data protection standards of apps fighting the pandemic' (16 April 2020): click here. 'Digital technologies – innovative solutions during the coronavirus crisis': click here. 'Tourism and Transport Package' (13 May 2020): click here. Press Statement, 'Coronavirus: a common approach for safe and efficient mobile tracing apps across the EU' (13 May 2020): click here. 'Interoperability guidelines for approved contact tracing mobile applications in the EU', eHealth Network (13 May 2020): click here (pdf). Contact tracing mobile app infographic (13 May 2020): click here (pdf). eHealth Network Guidelines to the EU Member States and the European Commission on Interoperability specifications for cross-border transmission chains between approved apps - Basic interoperability elements between COVID+ Keys driven solutions (12 June 2020): click here. 'Mobile applications to support contact tracing in the EU’s fight against COVID-19: Progress reporting' (June 2020): click here. Press release, 'Coronavirus: new steps towards setting-up of an interoperability solution for mobile tracing and warning apps' (15 July 2020): click here. IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2020/1023 of 15 July 2020 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1765 as regards the cross-border exchange of data between national contact tracing and warning mobile applications with regard to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic (16 July 2020): click here. 'Artificial intelligence and digital transformation: early lessons from the coronavirus crisis', EU Science Hub (27 July 2020): click here. Press release, 'Coronavirus: Commission starts testing interoperability gateway service for national contact tracing and warning apps' (14 September 2020): click here. Questions and Answers: COVID-19 vaccination in the EU - particular emphasis on vaccination certificates (8 January 2021): click here.
EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION BOARD (EDPB)	'Press statement of the EDPB Chair on the processing of personal data in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak' (16 March 2020): click here. 'Statement of the EDPB on the processing of personal data in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak' (20 March 2020): click here. 'European Data Protection Board to issue guidance on data processing in the fight against COVID-19' (3 April 2020): click here. 'EDPB Letter concerning the European Commission's draft Guidance on apps supporting the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic' (14 April 2020): click here. 'Guidelines 03/2020 on the processing of data concerning health for the purpose of scientific research in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak' (21 April 2020): click here. 'Guidelines 04/2020 on the use of location data and contact tracing tools in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak' (21 April 2020): click here. 'EDPB response to MEPs Ďuriš Nicholsonová and Jurzyca on common guidance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemics' (23 April 2020): click here (pdf). 'EDPB response to the US Mission to the EU on the transfer of personal data for the purpose of scientific research and the development of vaccines and treatments to combat COVID-19' (24 April 2020): click here (pdf). 'EDPB Response to the MEP Sophie in't Veld's letter on the use of apps in fight against coronavirus' (24 April 2020): click here (pdf). 'Statement on restrictions on data subject rights in connection to the state of emergency in Member States' (2 June 2020): click here. 'Statement on the data protection impact of the interoperability of contact tracing apps' (16 June 2020): click here. 'Statement on the processing of personal data in the context of reopening of borders following the COVID-19 outbreak' (16 June 2020): click here.
EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION SUPERVISOR (EDPS)	'The moment you realise the world has changed: re-thinking the EDPS Strategy' (20 March 2020): click here. 'Letter to DG CONNECT of the European Commission on monitoring of COVID-19 spread' (25 March 2020): click here. 'EU Digital Solidarity: a call for a pan-European approach against the pandemic' (6 April 2020): click here. The video of the address can be found on the EDPS website. 'The European Data Protection Supervisor's Answers to the questions issued by the Committtee of European Affairs of the Senate of tthe Republic of France' (27 April 2020): click here (pdf). 'Carrying the torch in times of darkness' (30 April 2020): click here. 'TechDispatch #1/2020: Contact Tracing with Mobile Applications' (7 May 2020): click here. 'EDPS Orientations on manual contact tracing by EU Institutions in the context of the COVID-19 crisis' (2 February 2021): click here.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT	Kurrer, C., 'What if smartphones could help contain COVID-19?', EPRS (March 2020): click here. Ferguson, Clare, 'COVID-19: Novel coronavirus outbreak in Europe and the EU response', EPRS (20 March 2020): click here. Kritikos, Michalis, 'Ten technologies to fight Coronavirus', EPRS (April 2020): click here. Priority question for written answer to the Commission Rule 138, 'Subject: Legal basis for geo-tracking and the sharing of personal data during the coronavirus outbreak' (3 April 2020): click here. 'LIBE Press Release: Use of smartphone data to manage COVID-19 must respect EU data protection rules' (7 April 2020): click here. 'European Parliament resolution of 17 April 2020 on EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences (2020/2616(RSP))': click here. Dumbrava, Costica, 'Tracking mobile devices to fight Coronavirus', EPRS (20 April 2020): click here. Binder, Krisztina et al., 'States of emergency in response to the coronavirus crisis: Situation in certain Member States', EPRS (May 2020): click here. 'Covid-19 tracing apps: ensuring privacy and data protection' (since 6 May 2020): click here (regularly updated with new resources). LIBE Committee Meeting with Commissioner Johansson on Home Affairs issues in Covid-19 times, and the EDPS and the EDPB on the use of personal data in the fight against Covid-19 (7 May 2020): click here (video); 'Home affairs and data protection issues in Covid-19 times: debates' (6 May 2020): click here for the agenda and the documents of the meeting. LIBE Committee Meeting, 'Internal border controls within the Schengen area: committee debate (8 May 2020): click here to view the series of meetings on the topic. EP Plenary, 'Use of contact tracing apps in the fight against the coronavirus: First round political group leaders' (14 May 2020): click here (video); LIBE Press Release, 'COVID-19 tracing apps: MEPs stress the need to preserve citizens’ privacy' (14 May 2020): click here. DROI Committee Meetting (5 June 2020): click here; Press release, 'Tracing apps: MEPs assess privacy challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic' (5 June 2020): click here. Question for written answer to the Commission (Rule 138) by Alexandra Geese (Verts/ALE), 'Data collection via social networks and mobile operators to combat COVID-19' (23 April 2020): click here. Answer on 21 September 2020: click here.
COUNCIL OF THE EU	COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2020/1475 of 13 October 2020 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: click here. Council conclusions on COVID-19 lessons learned in health (28 December 2020): click here.
EUROPOL	Staying safe during COVID-19: what you need to know (all Covid-19 related reports and news): click here.
EU AGENCY FOR CYBERSECURITY (ENISA)	'Press release: Tips for cybersecurity when working from home \| The EU Agency for Cybersecurity shares its top tips for teleworking in times of Covid-19' (24 March 2020): click here. 'Securing smart infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic' (18 May 2020): click here.
EU AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA)	'Coronavirus Pandemic in the EU: Fundamental rights implications - Bulletin #1' (8 April 2020): click here (pdf), including an Annex on DPA statements (pp. 44-46). FRA press release: Tech answers to COVID-19 should also safeguard fundamental rights (28 May 2020): click here. 'Coronavirus Pandemic in the EU: Fundamental rights implications - Bulletin #2: With a focus on contact tracing apps' (April 2020): click here. 'Coronavirus Pandemic in the EU: Fundamental rights implications - Bulletin #3' (June 2020): click here. 'Coronavirus Pandemic in the EU: Fundamental rights implications - Bulletin #4' (July 2020): click here. 'Coronavirus Pandemic in the EU: Fundamental rights implications - Bulletin #5' (August 2020): click here. 'Coronavirus Pandemic in the EU: Fundamental rights implications - Bulletin #6' (November 2020): click here.
EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL (ECDC)	'Checklist for hospitals preparing for the reception and care of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) patients' (26 February 2020): click here. 'Contact tracing: public health management of persons, including healthcare workers,having had contact with COVID-19 cases in the European Union –second update' (8 April 2020): click here (pdf).
EU-LISA	'Protection of your personal data': click here (Information in relation to processing operation “COVID-19 health data” undertaken by eu-LISA)

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Other international developments

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Council of Europe

Joint Statement on the Right to data protection in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by Alessandra Pierucci, Chair of the Committee of Convention 108 and Jean-Philippe Walter, Data Protection Commissioner of the Council of Europe (30 March 2020): click here.
Joint Statement on Digital Contact Tracing by Alessandra Pierucci, Chair of the Committee of Convention 108 and Jean-Philippe Walter, Data Protection Commissioner of the Council of Europe (28 April 2020): click here.
2020 Data Protection Report: Digital solutions to fight Covid-19 (October 2020): click here.

United Nations

UN Human Rights Experts, 'COVID-19: States should not abuse emergency measures to suppress human rights' (16 March 2020): click here.
Human Rights Committee, 'Statement on derogations from the Covenant in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic' (24 April 2020): click here (doc).
Joint Statement on Data Protection and Privacy in the COVID-19 Response (18 November 2020): click here.

OECD

Ensuring data privacy as we battle COVID-19, OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (14 April 2020): click here.

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Resources for further reading (in chronological order)

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Puddu, Saverio et al., 'How is data being used to combat COVID-19? Privacy regulators respond', Linklaters (11 March 2020): click here.

Orlando, Domenico, 'Data protection in the Time of Coronavirus', KU Leuven CiTiP blog (12 March 2020): click here.

Cosgrove, Cathy, 'COVID-19 response and data protection law in the EU and US', IAPP (15 March 2020): click here.

Ventrella, Emanuele, 'COVID-19 and Data Protection in Emergency Circumstances', Trilateral Research (16 March 2020): click here.

Lomash, Natasha, 'What are the rules wrapping privacy during COVID-19?', TechCrunch (20 March 2020): click here.

Pisa, Michael, 'COVID-19, Information Problems, and Digital Surveillance', Center for Global Development (20 March 2020): click here.

Espinoza, Javier, 'Coronavirus prompts delays and overhaul of EU digital strategy', Financial Times (23 March 2020): click here.

Renda, Andrea, 'Will privacy be one of the victims of COVID-19?, CEPS (23 March 2020): click here.

Scott, Marcus J., 'Big data versus COVID-19: opportunities and privacy challenges', Bruegel (23 March 2020): click here.

Stolton, Samuel, 'Commission touts importance of ‘data for common good’ amid COVID-19 privacy concerns', Euractive (25 March 2020): click here.

Yun Chee, Foo, 'Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, 6 other telcos to help EU track virus', Reuters (25 March 2020): click here.

Manacourt, Vincent, Janosch Delcker, Mark Scott and Laurens Cerulus, 'In fight against coronavirus, governments embrace surveillance', POLITICO (25 March 2020): click here.

Lomash, Natasha, 'Telco metadata grab is for modelling COVID-19 spread, not tracking citizens, says EC', TechCrunch (27 March 2020): click here.

Zanfir Fortuna, Gabiela, 'Why data protection law is uniquely equipped to let us fight a pandemic with personal data', pdpEcho (6 April 2020): click here.

European Law Institute (ELI), 'ELI Principles for the COVID-19 crisis' (28 April 2020): click here (pdf).

Zanfir Fortuna, Gabiela, 'European Union’s Data-Based Policy Against the Pandemic, Explained', Future of Privacy Forum (30 April 2020): click here.

Blenkinsop, Philip and Kate Abnett, 'EU pushes to reopen borders for summer tourism amidst coronavirus', Reuters (13 May 2020): click here.

Ventrella, Emanuele, 'Privacy in emergency circumstances: data protection and the COVID-19 pandemic', ERA (28 September 2020): click here.

Kedzior, Magdalena, 'The right to data protection and the COVID-19 pandemic: the European approach'. ERA Forum 21, 533–543 (2021): click here.

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EU and international institutional developments related to Covid-19

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Resources for further reading (in chronological order)