Senate refers personal data protection bill for committee review

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Wednesday said that the government will not object to sending the personal data protection bill back to the Senate Services Committee for a review of specific aspects of the bill to achieve a balance that will safeguard the public interest while protecting personal data and ensure that all interests are served equally. 

The bill aims to enhance privacy protection and strengthen personal data security for both Jordanian citizens and residents, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

It also establishes a special council for the supervision and protection of personal data.

The legislation encourages potential investments in innovation and communications sectors, the prime minister said.

This bill has undergone two years of consideration by the Lower House, involving extensive discussions with stakeholders concerned with personal data management, categorisation, processing and retention. 

These discussions have given consideration to the balance between public and private protections, adhering to international standards and avoiding a narrow focus on public freedoms, he said.

Khasawneh highlighted that more than 137 countries worldwide have entrepreneurial sectors governed by legislation akin to this bill. 

He also noted that practically, the law will take around a year and a half to come into effect, considering that it governs a changing technical landscape.  

The Senate on Wednesday referred the personal data protection draft law back to the Public Services Committee for further analysis and deliberation on the bill's content.

The decision underlines the commitment of the Upper Chamber to thoroughly examine numerous notes received from various sources, Petra reported. 

The bill is the last item of legislation to be considered on the agenda of the extraordinary session.