WILLEMSTAD - Curaçao has officially withdrawn from the harmonization discussions regarding personal data protection that took place during the Judicial Four-Party Consultation held in The Hague at the end of June. The island believes that the responsibility for this issue does not align with the role of the Ministry of Justice and plans to handle it internally moving forward.
The Four-Party Consultation is a biannual meeting between the justice ministers of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands, focusing on a collaborative approach to crime and security within the Kingdom. Led by Dutch Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind, topics such as coast guard activities, migration, forensic care, and juvenile crime were discussed.
One of the main points of the meeting was the discussion on harmonizing personal data protection across the Kingdom countries. While Aruba, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten talked about the progress of the draft Consensus Kingdom Act, Curaçao announced its decision to withdraw from these discussions.
Steering Group
According to Curaçao's Minister of Justice, Shalton Hato, the Four-Party Consultation platform is not the appropriate venue to discuss this legislation. Unlike the other countries, the issue in Curaçao falls under different ministries rather than the Ministry of Justice. As a result, Curaçao has decided to establish a ministerial steering group to focus on the progress of the legislation.
Curaçao's choice to withdraw from the harmonization of personal data protection illustrates that there are nuanced differences in responsibilities and priorities among the Kingdom countries. The other nations will continue their discussions, while Curaçao will evaluate how to approach this matter in future consultations.