ITI: European Commission’s Draft Adequacy Decision on Data Transfers to the U.S. Will Ensure Citizens’ Privacy, Provide Business Certainty
BRUSSELS — Today, global tech trade association ITI welcomed the European Commission’s draft adequacy decision to implement the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The framework, which was outlined by U.S. President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in March and implemented by a U.S. Executive Order in October, will help stabilize transatlantic data flows that were thrown into doubt following the annulment of the U.S.-EU Privacy Shield in 2020.
“Data flows underpin $7.1 trillion in economic relations between the EU and the United States,” said Jason Oxman, ITI’s President and CEO. “With today’s draft decision by the European Commission, businesses, citizens, and government institutions can prepare to move forward with a solid and reliable framework that protects fundamental rights of citizens, provides legal certainty for businesses, and safeguards the continuity of commercial activities involving the movement of data across borders. We encourage EU Member States to work with EU institutions to adopt the draft adequacy decision and ensure the successful implementation of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework.”
As the premier advocate for the global tech industry, ITI has called on U.S. and EU policymakers to reach a new agreement to ensure businesses can share data across the Atlantic. In October, welcomed President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence Activities (opens in a new tab), which articulated the steps the U.S. will take to implement the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. Following that announcement, ITI led a broad transatlantic coalition (opens in a new tab) of 41 associations – representing companies of all sizes from various sectors of the business community – in a call to EU policymakers to make a swift conclusion to the EU adequacy decision process.
Earlier this year, ITI welcomed the announcement (opens in a new tab) of what was then called the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework, following its call on the Biden Administration to prioritize an agreement in its 2022 Action Plan for U.S. Policymakers (opens in a new tab). ITI also highlighted the critical importance of cross-border data flows to the U.S. economy in its 2021 U.S. Competitiveness Agenda (opens in a new tab). Read more on ITI’s work on this issue:
- ITI Welcomes Agreement to Succeed U.S.-EU Privacy Shield, Calls for Negotiators to Finalize Legal Agreement Soon (opens in a new tab)
- ITI Blog: Advancing Transatlantic Relations (opens in a new tab)
- We Are Hopeful That an EU-U.S. Data Transfer Agreement is Within Reach (opens in a new tab)
- ITI Commends EDPB for Upholding Risk-based Approach for Transatlantic Data Flows (opens in a new tab)
- Global Business Community Calls on EU to Safeguard International Data Flows (opens in a new tab)
- ITI Welcomes Intensified Commitment from U.S. and EU on Privacy Shield Negotiations (opens in a new tab)
- Global Industry Asks EU and U.S. Leaders to Work Towards Legal Certainty for Cross-Border Data Transfers (opens in a new tab)
- ITI: New U.S. Government Guidance on EU-U.S. Data Transfers Helpful to Companies Impacted by Schrems II Decision (opens in a new tab)
- Tech Industry Welcomes Initiation of Discussions on a New EU-U.S. Data Transfer Agreement (opens in a new tab)
- ITI Blog: Schrems II: A Moment for Calm, and Action (opens in a new tab)
- ITI Urges Transatlantic Policymakers to Begin Negotiations on New EU-U.S. Data Transfer Agreement Following Schrems II Decision (opens in a new tab)
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