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On September 13, 2018, the UK government published a series of technical notices on how to prepare for a scenario in which the UK leaves the EU without agreement on March 29, 2019 (“no-deal Brexit”).  The government stressed that a no-deal Brexit “remains unlikely given the mutual interests of the UK and the EU in securing a negotiated outcome,” but that “it’s our duty as a responsible government to prepare for all eventualities.”  One of the notices, “Data protection if there’s no Brexit deal,” sets out the UK government’s position on data flows between the UK and EU and recommends actions that organizations should take to help ensure the continued flow of personal data from the EU to the UK if no agreement is reached.

Data privacy standards in the UK to remain the same

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the technical notice is clear that the UK will maintain the same data protection standards as exist today.  This is because the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) currently applies in the UK (as it remains, for now, an EU Member State), and, at the point of a no-deal Brexit, the UK would incorporate the GDPR into UK law.  The GDPR rules — now and following Brexit — are supplemented by the UK Data Protection Act 2018, which sets out how certain aspects of the GDPR apply in the UK (e.g., in relation to children’s data).
Continue Reading UK “No-Deal Brexit” Technical Notice Sets Out Plans on EU – UK Data Flows

On October 3, 2017, the Irish High Court referred Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Limited [2016 No. 4809 P.] to the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”).  The case, commonly referred to as Schrems II, is based on a complaint by Max Schrems concerning the transfer of personal data by Facebook, from Ireland to the United States, using the EU Standard Contract Clauses (“SCCs”).

Background

The SCCs are a European Commission-approved mechanism to legally effect the transfer of personal data from the EEA to third (non-EEA) countries.  The SCCs provide for a contractual arrangement between a EEA-based data exporter and a non-EEA-based data importer of personal data, under which the data importer agrees to abide by EU privacy standards.
Continue Reading Validity of EU Standard Contractual Clauses Referred to CJEU

On July 26, 2017, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) published Opinion 1-15 (the “Opinion”) on the proposed agreement between the European Union and Canada on the transfer and processing of passenger name record (“PNR”) data (the “Agreement”).  The Agreement was signed in 2014, but the CJEU was asked to determine whether it was compatible with EU data protection law before it is approved by the European Parliament.

The Opinion concluded that a number of provisions relating to the transfer of PNR data – particularly sensitive data – are incompatible with the EU Data Protection Directive (Directive 95/46) and the fundamental rights to privacy and data protection, and the protection against discrimination, under Articles 7, 8 and 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (the “Charter”), meaning the Agreement must be renegotiated before it enters into force.

Notably, the CJEU’s opinion was consistent with its recent judgments concerning data transfers to “third countries” (outside the EEA) in Schrems and Tele2/Watson. …
Continue Reading CJEU: EU-Canada proposed agreement on the transfer of Passenger Name Record data does not conform to EU data protection law standards

Today, the German supervisory authorities (“German DPAs”) responsible for data protection at federal and state (Länder) level published a position paper on the EU-U.S. Safe Harbor (available in German – see here).  This 14-point position paper follows a meeting that these authorities held last week.  Key points include:

  • following the Safe Harbor

…

By Tom Jackson

On November 26, 2014, the Article 29 Working Party adopted a working document setting out a cooperation procedure for issuing common opinions on contractual clauses considered as compliant with the EC Model Clauses (the “Working Document”).  The Working Document sets out the framework for a procedure designed to streamline the process of obtaining the necessary approvals to transfer data outside the EEA.  It introduces the concept of a “Lead DPA,” through whom an applicant company would be able to deal with a range of competent national authorities in order to gain a common opinion on the adequacy of its contractual clauses.

The publication of this Working Document serves as an indication that European data protection authorities recognize that the current system is burdensome and often time-consuming for companies seeking to transfer data outside the EEA.  However, it remains to be seen when, or even if, the procedure proposed by the Working Party will be put into practice.
Continue Reading Article 29 Working Party Publishes Working Document Setting Out Cooperation Procedure for Issuing Common Opinions on Contractual Clauses