Convention 108 refers to the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, which was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1981. It is the first legally binding international instrument adopted in the field of data protection. It sets out the minimum standards aimed at protecting individuals against abuses which may accompany the collection and processing of personal data. It also seeks to regulate the transborder flow of personal data.To date, 40 European states have ratified the Convention.