Netherlands Privacy Leaders Gather in The Hague to Tackle Digital Age Challenges

2025-12-21 data

The Hague, Sunday, 21 December 2025.
Privacy experts, policymakers, and business leaders will convene on European Data Protection Day for critical discussions on balancing innovation with data protection requirements.

Eighth Annual Conference Addresses Growing Privacy Complexities

The National Privacy Conference 2026 will mark its eighth iteration when ECP Platform for the Information Society and Privacy First host the event on January 28, 2026, at Nieuwspoort in The Hague [1][2][3]. This strategic timing coincides with European Data Protection Day, underscoring the conference’s significance in the European privacy landscape [1][2]. The event will bring together government officials, business leaders, and civil society organizations to address a central question: how to make privacy executable, workable, and future-proof in a digital society [3]. Tom Jessen will moderate the full-day program, which runs from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM [1][2].

Regulatory Frameworks Under Scrutiny

The conference program will feature two primary themes addressing contemporary privacy challenges in the Netherlands. The first theme, ‘Regulatory Pressure & Business Operations,’ will examine how regulations, supervision, and innovation can be better connected while ensuring privacy protection remains feasible for businesses [2]. Bart Schellekens from the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations will speak at 1:40 PM on the Netherlands’ development as a ‘privacy guiding country’ [1]. Following this, Monique Verdier, Vice-Chair of the Dutch Data Protection Authority, will participate in an interview at 2:20 PM, while Professor Gerrit-Jan Zwenne from Pels Rijcken will address the Digital Omnibus and personal data at 2:35 PM [1].

The second major theme, ‘Social Domain & Citizens,’ will focus on situations where privacy protection and public assistance appear to conflict [1][2]. Marianne van den Anker, Ombudswoman for Rotterdam-Rijnmond, will speak at 3:30 PM on the clash between privacy protection and public safety [1]. Wilmar Hendriks, coordinating data protection officer for Care and Safety House Rotterdam-Rijnmond, will follow at 3:50 PM with a discussion on data sharing in complex cases [1]. This theme addresses the critical need for responsible data sharing and privacy-by-design approaches in sectors where vulnerable populations require protection and assistance [2].

Innovation Recognition and Future Collaboration

The conference will culminate with the presentation of the Dutch Privacy Awards 2026 by Privacy First at 4:25 PM, presented by Marlon Domingus, data protection officer at Erasmus University Rotterdam [1]. These awards recognize innovative and practical privacy solutions, highlighting how privacy, trust, and progress can work together [4]. Among the nominees is a collaboration between UMC Utrecht and Roseman Labs for their NSK data workplace, which uses Multi-Party Computation technology to enable child abuse pattern detection without revealing sensitive patient data [6]. The project demonstrates how data-driven care improvement is possible without privacy compromises, addressing a problem affecting 120000 children annually and costing society an estimated 25 billion euros per year [6]. The event will conclude with a networking reception at 5:00 PM [1][4].

Bronnen

data protection privacy innovation