European data protection authorities said Tuesday they will give a new EU-US Internet privacy deal a year’s grace period, minimising chances of new legal challenges during that time.
European data protection authorities said Tuesday they will give a new EU-US Internet privacy deal a year’s grace period, minimising chances of new legal challenges during that time.
The deal was adopted in Brussels earlier this month after the EU’s top court last year struck down a previous arrangement, leaving Internet giants such as Google and Facebook unsure whether they could transfer data back to their operations in the United States.
The EU data protection authorities meeting in Brussels found that the new privacy shield system has stronger safeguards on data transfer and better filters to prevent US intelligence agencies from conducting bulk collection of personal information.
“All of this is progress and real progress. Nevertheless we still have concerns remaining,” Ms Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, who chairs the so-called article 29 group, told reporters in Brussels.
The data protection authorities said in a statement they regretted the lack of concrete assurances against mass and indiscriminate collection of personal data.
They also want stricter guarantees for the independence of a US ombudsman to be named to tackle complaints from EU citizens. “The glass is not sufficiently full but let’s give it a chance and accept the testing period until the first annual review,” Ms Falque-Pierrotin said.
“At the joint review, we want to be provided with additional clarification, additional evidence, possibly changes in the legislation,” she said.
