Final reminder to register or renew with the ODPA for 2023 to avoid penalties

The Office of the Data Protection Authority’s (ODPA) annual registration window closes at the end of February, and the ODPA is reminding organisations to renew or register by then in accordance with the legal obligation under The Data Protection (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2017.

This applies to anyone working with information, facts and even opinions about living people, provided the activity is not part of your personal/household affairs. Organisations which fail to register with the ODPA are breaking the law and potentially risk appearing in the Petty Debts Court and / or a criminal conviction.

It takes just 5 minutes to set up a new registration and is free of charge for charities and non-profit organisations.

Emma Martins, the Bailiwick’s Data Protection Commissioner, commented:

“This is a legal requirement. Most people wouldn’t dream of stealing a car or driving without a valid licence. So, by the same token, no-one should be handling people’s personal information without first registering with the ODPA. Organisations need to take their legal responsibilities seriously and individuals have the right to expect them to do so. At the ODPA, we have tried to strike a balance, investing as much time and effort into education and awareness as we do into enforcement, in the knowledge that the more we support local businesses get compliance right, the less likelihood there is of things going wrong. Registering your organisation is a vital first step to ensuring that rights are respected and harms are prevented. But we need to be clear that failing to register is a breach of the law.”

If you would like to find out more, please attend one of the ODPA’s regular free drop-in sessions or visit www.odpa.gg for guidance, and forthcoming events you may be interested in.
There is more detailed information and practical guidance on registration requirements at www.odpa.gg/registration.