INTRO ON ICO DOSSIER FOR EDPB
Public Engagement > Dossier on ICO for the European Data Protection Board
⭐ EDPB Dossier – Narrative Introduction (British English Edition)
Why this dossier exists
Some stories do not begin with a complaint, but with a question.
Mine was simple: “How can a European citizen, within a system that promises protection and transparency, become entangled in a chain of errors, delays and incomplete responses from public bodies?”
That question marked the beginning of an unexpected journey.
A journey shaped by delayed data‑access responses, incomplete documents, official information disappearing from public pages, and communications that failed to clarify what had actually happened.
This dossier was created out of a clear need:
to bring order, to gather what occurred, and to present it in a way that is clear, verifiable and accessible to anyone.
What this dossier contains
This is not a personal account.
It is a reconstruction based on facts, documents and dates.
It includes:
- the full chronology of data‑access requests and the responses received;
- the original documentation, presented exactly as transmitted by the public bodies involved;
- the reconstruction of events and official communications that shaped the case;
- the reports submitted to the competent authorities, together with the responses — when they were provided — and the silences that left important questions unanswered;
- instances where public information was modified, removed or made unavailable, without clear explanation;
- an assessment of the broader implications for the protection of European citizens’ data.
To comply with GDPR and privacy requirements, some documents may be partially redacted, where they contain third‑party personal data or sensitive information.
The overall structure remains clear, readable and fully verifiable.
Each section is designed to be understood without technical expertise:
the reader should be able to follow the story from beginning to end, understand what happened, what did not happen, and which questions remain open.
Why this dossier is addressed to the EDPB and the European Commission
The United Kingdom operates under an adequacy decision, allowing the processing of European citizens’ data under standards equivalent to those of the GDPR.
This adequacy is not automatic: it requires transparency, oversight and the ability to guarantee effective protection.
The material collected in this dossier highlights issues that go beyond a single incident and touch on broader systemic aspects:
- the handling of information by public bodies;
- the quality and completeness of responses to citizens;
- the preservation and availability of data;
- the clarity of internal processes;
- the ability of competent authorities to intervene when necessary.
These elements relate directly to a fundamental question:
does the level of protection offered truly match the standard required by the GDPR?
This dossier is a documented response to that question.
Why everything is published on my website
Transparency is not only a choice; in this case, it is a necessity.
I publish everything because:
- every document must be accessible;
- every step must be verifiable;
- every reconstruction must be clear;
- no part of the story should be hidden or simplified.
I publish everything so that anyone — citizen, journalist, public body, authority — can see what happened, what did not happen, and what should have happened.
I publish everything because data protection is not an abstract concept:
it is a concrete matter involving people, decisions and responsibilities.
What you will find in the dossier sections
You will find an organised and verifiable collection of the materials that shaped this case.
A structure designed to be read like an investigative report: clear, linear and accessible.
You will find:
- the complete chronology of requests and responses;
- the original documentation, unaltered;
- the reconstruction of events and official communications;
- the reports submitted to the authorities;
- the instances where public information was removed or altered;
- the broader implications for the protection of European citizens’ data.
Some documents may be redacted for GDPR compliance and privacy protection.
The substance remains intact: every step is verifiable.
A personal note
This dossier does not exist out of controversy.
It exists out of necessity.
It exists because a European citizen has the right to know how their information is handled.
It exists because institutions have the duty to ensure clarity and protection.
It exists because trust is not an abstract idea: it is built through transparency, consistency and responsibility.
It exists because data protection concerns all of us.
