Renegotiation of the Privacy Shield

1. June 2016

The European Parliament approved a resolution concerning the European Commission reopening negotiations with US authorities on the EU-US Privacy Shield last week. Furthermore, the resolution intends to implement the recommendations of the Article 29 Working Party on the draft Privacy Shield adequacy decision.

The resolution that was approved by the majority of members of the European Parliament says that the executive still needs to improve the data transfer deal allowing US authorities to collect EU citizens’ data.

Although the Parliament’s opinion is not binding, it builds up pressure on the Commission in order to increase the level of data protection in the much discussed agreement.

After the Safe Harbour agreement was declared invalid last October due to the fact that it did not protect European citizens’ data once they were sent to the USA, the executive is now behind schedule as EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova and Digital Commissioner Günther Oettinger initially stated that the new agreement should go into effect by the end of June. However, in order for that to happen a group of diplomats from European member states have to sign their approval first. Nevertheless, although the diplomats were expected to vote on the Privacy Shield last week, they delayed their final decision as they scheduled new meetings up until the end of June.

Generally, the Commission has already finished the negotiations concerning the Privacy Shield with US authorities, though clarification on some points is needed. Commission spokesman Christian Wigand described the clarifications as realistic changes and not a drastic renegotiation of the agreement.

However, the Parliament’s resolution intends to take criticism from national privacy protectors of the European member states “fully” into account.

Category: EU · Safe Harbor · USA
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