Public archives play an important role in our society by identifying, assessing and preserving documentary material of long-term value, ensuring accountability of government and other organisations. One of the most important restrictions on accessibility is privacy and data protection. As documents in public archives contain a wide range of information about individuals, data protection is one of the most important reasons why recent archive holdings are not accessible. Obviously, there is a conflict of objectives between the fundamental value and desire for transparency and accountability on the one hand and the fundamental right and legal obligations to protect personal data, on the other. There are still particular uncertainties regarding the practical implementation of the GDPR on the ground. The aim of the panel is to explore the perspectives of different interest groups and to discuss how an appropriate balance of rights and interests can be realized.
