THE HAGUE – Curaçao has joined the other countries of the Kingdom in expressing concern about the future of data sharing between governments and law enforcement agencies if differences in privacy legislation are not addressed.
During the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) in The Hague, parliamentarians from Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands reviewed the status of personal data protection legislation across the Kingdom. The discussion follows concerns about compliance with international privacy standards under Convention 108+ of the Council of Europe.
According to the discussions, all countries currently have legislation protecting personal data, but significant differences remain in the level of protection and legal frameworks. Parliamentarians warned that these differences could eventually affect the ability of countries within the Kingdom to exchange information, particularly in areas related to public safety and law enforcement.
As a result, IPKO decided to send a joint letter to the Kingdom Government requesting clarification on whether data sharing between the countries could become restricted and what consequences this could have for security cooperation.
The parliamentarians also requested information about the progress of legislation being prepared at both the Kingdom and national levels to ensure that essential information can continue to be exchanged without interruption.
For Curaçao, the issue is particularly important because of the island's close cooperation with regional and Kingdom partners in combating organized crime, human trafficking, drug smuggling and other cross-border challenges.
The ministers of Justice within the Kingdom have already agreed to explore harmonization of privacy legislation, potentially through a consensus Kingdom Act. IPKO members indicated that they will continue to monitor developments closely.