The Spring Conference of European Data Protection Authorities is the most important annual meeting of all data protection commissioners from EU Member States and other European states.

On 27 December 2004 the European Commission issued the Decision amending Decision 2001/497/EC as regards the introduction of an alternative set of standard contractual clauses for the transfer of personal data to third countries. This Decision was published in Official Journal series L No. 385 p. 74 on 29 December 2004.

On 19 January 2005 Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data adopted document WP 103 containing an opinion on the level of protection ensured in Canada for the transmission of Passenger Name Record and Advance Passenger information from airlines.

On 18 January 2005 Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data adopted the Working document WP 104 on data protection issues related to intellectual property rights.

On 19 January 2005 Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data adopted the Working document WP 105 on data protection issues related to RFID technology.

In February 2005 the Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data adopted the Progress Report on the Application of the Principles of Convention 108 to the Collection and Processing of Biometric Data. This document is available on the website of the Council of Europe at the following URL: http://www.coe.int/T/e/legal%5Faffairs/legal%5Fco%2Doperation/data%5Fprotection /Events/T-PD%20_2005_%20BIOM%20E-2.pdf .