EDPB Adopts Age Assurance Statement, recommendations to WADA, and Creates AI Taskforce
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) held its plenary meeting in February 2025, adopting a statement on age assurance and forming a taskforce on AI enforcement. The Board also put forward recommendations concerning the 2027 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) World Anti-Doping Code.
The EDPB’s statement on age assurance outlines ten principles for compliant personal data processing when determining an individual’s age or age range. These principles aim to protect minors while ensuring adherence to data protection standards. EDPB Chair Anu Talus emphasized the importance of age assurance for safeguarding children from inappropriate content, while also advocating for minimally intrusive verification methods to protect children’s personal data.
The EDPB is collaborating with the European Commission on age verification within the framework of the Digital Services Act (DSA) working group. During the plenary, the Board expanded the scope of the ChatGPT task force to encompass AI enforcement. The EDPB members stressed the necessity of coordinating Data Protection Authorities’ (DPAs) actions on urgent sensitive matters, leading to the establishment of a quick response team. Anu Talus highlighted the GDPR’s role in promoting responsible innovation, balancing high data protection standards with the potential benefits of AI for the economy. The task force on AI enforcement and the quick response team will be pivotal in maintaining this balance.
In addition to the age assurance and AI enforcement initiatives, the EDPB adopted recommendations on the 2027 WADA World Anti-Doping Code. The focus is on safeguarding athletes’ personal data during anti-doping processes, particularly sensitive data like health information from biological samples. The EDPB aims to ensure that the WADA Anti-Doping Code and International Standard for Data Protection (ISDP) align with the GDPR. These recommendations emphasize the need for a legal basis for data processing, purpose limitation, and full transparency, enabling individuals to exercise their rights effectively.
The EDPB’s recommendations on the WADA World Anti-Doping Code are pending legal, linguistic, and formatting checks before publication on the EDPB website. These efforts underscore the Board’s commitment to maintaining robust data protection standards across various domains, ensuring compliance with the GDPR while fostering innovation and protecting individual rights.
