International

Serbia Mutual Evaluation AML/CFT/CPF Measures Report

FATF published its 2025 Mutual Evaluation Report assessing Serbia's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing/Proliferation (AML/CFT/CPF) framework. The report evaluates Serbia's compliance with FATF Recommendations and the effectiveness of its AML/CFT/CPF measures across 40 recommendations.

Civil society activist Vigário Balanta killed in Guinea-Bissau

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) issued a press release on 2 April 2026 expressing shock over the killing of civil society activist Vigário Luís Balanta in Guinea-Bissau. The statement calls for a thorough and impartial investigation, fair trials for those responsible, and urgent steps toward restoring constitutional order following the November 2025 coup.

PIC/S GMP Guide Revised Chapters 3, 5, 8 and Annex 17

PIC/S has revised Chapters 3, 5, 8 and Annex 17 of the GMP Guide (PE 009-14), aligning them with EU GMP principles and Quality Risk Management. Key changes include new cross-contamination prevention requirements in Chapters 3 and 5, updated supplier qualification requirements, and expanded quality defect evaluation expectations in Chapter 8. The revision entered into force on 1 July 2018.

Updated Opioid Dependence Treatment and Overdose Prevention Guidelines

WHO announced updates to guidelines for opioid dependence treatment and overdose prevention, including new conditional recommendations for long-acting injectable buprenorphine alongside continued strong recommendations for methadone and oral buprenorphine. The full guidelines are expected later in 2026 or early 2027. Currently, fewer than 10% of approximately 64 million people worldwide with drug use disorders receive treatment.

Urban Health Leaders Renew Commitment to Accelerate Life-Saving Action in Cities

The World Health Organization, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies, and the Municipal Health Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro co-hosted the 2026 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together health officials from 55 cities. Baltimore, USA announced it will join the Partnership to focus on overdose prevention. Cities showcased initiatives including tobacco control, healthy school food environments, and heat health action protocols.

WHO SAGE Meeting Immunization Progress Challenges Ahead

WHO published Director Kate O'Brien's March 2026 message summarizing the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) meeting discussions. The advisory highlighted that immunization has saved over 150 million lives in 50 years while noting that nearly 20 million children missed at least one vaccine dose in 2024. Discussions addressed COVID-19 vaccination guidance, typhoid vaccination strategies, polio eradication, and the path beyond Immunization Agenda 2030.

WHO Global Consultation on Public Health and Social Measures for Health Emergencies

The World Health Organization convened its third global technical consultation on Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM) with over 120 experts from 44 Member States on 24-26 March 2026. The consultation advanced work on PHSM Decision Navigator tools, epidemic influenza modules, and community-centred implementation approaches, responding to World Health Assembly Resolution 78.3 on strengthening the evidence base for PHSM.

California Higher CCPA Fines Age Assurance Enforcement Ramp-up

California Privacy Protection Agency and state attorneys general indicated increased enforcement activity at IAPP Global Summit 2026. CalPrivacy is considering higher CCPA fines following $4 million in total settlements from five cases. The California AG's office is preparing rulemaking on age verification requirements under the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act. Enforcement priorities include data minimization and purpose limitation principles.

Draft Children's Online Privacy Code for Online Services

Australia's OAIC released an exposure draft of the Children's Online Privacy Code, proposing new obligations for online services to protect children's data. The code requires consent before targeted advertising using children's data, grants children rights to request data deletion, and mandates notifications when parents consent on behalf of children or when geolocation is being tracked. Public consultation runs for 60 days, with the code set to become law in December 2026.

Mass Disclosure of Personal Data and Privacy Lessons from Slovakia and the EU

IAPP published an analysis examining EU court decisions on data disclosure requirements. The analysis covers Slovakia's Constitutional Court striking down an NGO donor disclosure law, CJEU rulings invalidating public access to Ultimate Beneficial Owner registries (C-37/20, C-601/20), and annulment of the Data Retention Directive (C-293/12, C-594/12). The piece emphasizes that blanket transparency obligations must be proportionate to privacy rights.