In the Communiqué on the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Personnel Certification Mechanism published in the Official Gazette dated 06.12.2021 and numbered 31681, it has stated that those who want to entitled as Data Protection Officer should firstly have a "participation certificate" and in this context, the procedures and principles would be stated and published by Turkish Personal Data Protection Board ("Board").

In this regard, procedures and principles regarding the participation certificate has been regulated with the the Decision of Personal Data Protection Board dated 23.12.2021 and numbered 2021/1296 ("Decision").

It has been explained that it is necessary to organize primary training within the scope of Annex-1 of Decision ("Annex-1") and record the details of training with the training report by trainer organizations. In this regard, it has been emphasized in the Decision that the lack of continuity with or without excused should not exceed 20% percentage total training hours for the successful completion of the primary training.

In the Decision, it has been specified that the question's distribution in the exam following the training, which shall be prepared to examine Data Protection Officer candidates in the personal data protection, should be in accordance with the Annex-1. In this regard, it has been stated that at least 70% percentage correct answer is the criteria to succeed the exam. Additionally, the recomplete the primary training is a compulsory for who failed the exam three times consecutively.

Thereto, it has been phrased in the Decision that information to be included in the participation certificate and the requirements as to form of it which will be issued after the primary training and the exam completed successfully by Data Protection Officer candidates will be regulated and the certifications issued by the trainer organizations will be approved by the Authority.

To access the full text of the public announcement in which these board decision, please click here. (Please also be advised that the contents of this circular are in Turkish language.)

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