Taipei: The Executive Yuan has approved a proposal for the establishment of an independent agency dedicated to enhancing personal data protection across Taiwan.

According to Focus Taiwan, the proposed bill and amendments, which still require legislative approval, will provide the legal basis for the planned Personal Data Protection Commission.

Under the proposal, each government agency will be required to appoint a "personal data protection officer" to coordinate and oversee efforts to strengthen data protection and promote awareness of its importance. At a press briefing, Lin Yu-chia, head of the planned agency's preparatory office, explained that the commission would comprise five to seven commissioners serving renewable four-year terms.

Initially, commissioners will focus on cases of personal data breaches in government agencies and private enterprises that lack a specific competent authority. They will independently determine liability and subsequent penalties for such cases. Businesses without a specific competent authority include platform-based information services and credit providers.

Lin noted that, if implemented smoothly, the goal is for all businesses to fall under the commission's jurisdiction within six years of its operations. Beyond enforcing laws related to personal data protection, the agency will also formulate policies and regulations, develop and promote relevant technology applications, and focus on talent incubation.

The Cabinet's proposal aims to address existing issues such as the absence of a comprehensive personal data protection supervisory mechanism and a designated agency overseeing both public and private sectors. The Constitutional Court had mandated the establishment of a designated personal data protection agency, granting the executive body a three-year grace period to set up such an agency following a 2022 ruling. The agency must be operational by August 12 this year.