IDPC delivers presentation at event organised by the MFHEA to national accrediting bodies of warranted professions

27 November 2025

Dr Marco Fagnano, legal counsel at the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC), delivered a focused presentation this week to representatives of various national accrediting bodies responsible for overseeing warranted or licensed professions. The session aimed to clarify how these bodies can meet their statutory obligations—such as maintaining public registers of warranted professionals and issuing notices when a professional’s warrant is suspended or revoked—while remaining fully compliant with EU data protection law.

During the presentation, Dr Fagnano outlined several practical scenarios commonly faced by accrediting bodies. These included handling requests to update or remove personal information from public lists, publishing disciplinary outcomes without revealing excessive personal data, and managing complaints from professionals who contest the visibility or accuracy of their information, in conjunction with statutory requirements the accrediting bodies may have.

Dr Fagnano emphasized the importance of balancing statutory requirements to make professionals' details public, with necessity and proportionality, particularly when publishing sensitive information that may affect a professional’s reputation. Attendees were guided on implementing clear retention policies, establishing lawful bases for publication and administrative processing requirements, and ensuring that any communications about withdrawn warrants strictly follow data minimization principles.

Accrediting bodies welcomed the guidance, noting that the session offered valuable clarity on how to navigate real-world challenges while upholding both public interest duties and individuals’ data protection rights. A Q&A session following the presentation also enabled representatives to discuss and obtain guidance in relation to any pressing issues faced by such accrediting bodies in the course of their functions.