How can we help foreign persons and authorities

Who we are

Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate is national supervisory authority according to:
 
Personal Data Protection Act
Public Information Act
Electronic Communications Act

Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).

EU Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications.

Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA.

Council of Europe Convention 108 on automatic processing of personal data,
Council of Europe Convention 205 on access to official documents (not yet in force).

We can help you if

Your privacy rights are violated in processing of your personal data;
It also covers problems of granting access to your personal data in Schengen and Europol databases;
You have problems with spam messages;
You are refused to access to Estonian public sector information.

Taking action

Majority of cases are about ongoing unlawful processing of personal data where our goal is to eliminate violation by warning or by coercion. 
 
On cross-border cases we also cooperate with corresponding foreign authorities.
 
Please see relevant legislation and guidelines for further insight.

When we cannot help you

Crimes like intentional identity theft – you should turn to police;
Slander, other private disputes and compensation for damage – you should turn to civil court;
 

How to reach

Request - asking general advice, interpretation of the law.
Complaint - seek protection of your violated privacy rights.
Challenge - grant access to Estonian public sector information after denial.

Forms

You can contact us in writing, by e-mail or through the e-environment.

When submitting a request in writing or by email, you can use the file-based sample form. In this case, the request for clarification must be sent to the e-mail address info[at]aki.ee. Written application to the postal address Tatari 39, 10314, Tallinn, Estonia.

When submiting a complaint or challenge in writing or by e-mail using a file-based sample form. In this case, the application must be sent to the address info[at]aki.ee or to the postal address Tatari 39, 10134, Tallinn, Estonia.

The application for intervention must be (digitally) signed.

You can submit an intervention request to us on behalf of another person if you have their power of attorney or are their legal representative: for example, a parent or guardian. 

Language

According to the Adminsitrative Procedures Act §20 the language of administrative proceedings shall be Estonian.

Complaints and challenges must be submitted in Estonian. In individual exceptional cases, we accept clarification requests in English and you can expect answers in English as well.

For cross-border cooperation between authorities we use English.

Deadline

We handle questions, complaints and challenges within 30 days. Handling complaint can be extended to another 60 days.
 

Publication of decisions

According to law we publish our precepts and decisions on our website without personal and other restricted data.