Privacy Map

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Treaty / framework. Recommendation (OECD Council)

OECD Guidelines 1980OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data (1980)

Repealed/superseded

§1Summary

Synopsis

A non-binding OECD Council Recommendation that set out eight basic principles: collection limitation, data quality, purpose specification, use limitation, security safeguards, openness, individual participation and accountability. It also encouraged free transborder flows between member countries.

Key themes
  • eight fair information principles
  • accountability
  • transborder flows
Unique features

These eight principles became the global baseline that APEC, Canadian PIPEDA, Australian law and many others draw on. It was adopted at about the same time as Convention 108.

SaaS relevance

Historical baseline; its principles are reflected in most national laws a SaaS provider meets.

§2Obligations

Breach notification
None
DPO
No
Cross-border transfers
Free flow encouraged; restrictions only where proportionate
Maximum penalty
None

§3Dates

Key dates
  • Adopted
  • In force
  • Ended
  • Revised 2013-07-11 (see separate row)

§4Text and authority

Text
Authority
None designated

§5Where it applies

Members of the body

Membership-based — check ratification status. Membership of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) does not mean a state has signed or ratified this instrument.

§6Sources and verification

Sources consulted
Verification

High confidence.

The 1980 text was replaced by the 2013 revision of the same instrument (OECD/LEGAL/0188).