Brussels
and Washington have agreed upon a new system to protect data transfers from
Europe to the US. The new deal replaces "Safe Harbor," a 15-year-old
framework struck down by the European Court of Justice last year.
EU Justice
Commissioner Vera Jourova announced the latest deal in a message on Twitter.
The new
deal, called the EU-US "Privacy Shield" would replace the older
"Safe Harbor" agreement, Jourova told journalists in Brussels on
Tuesday.
The US had
given "binding assurances" for the first time and said public
authorities' access to data would be subject to "clear limitations,
safeguards and oversight mechanisms," the commissioner said.
Companies
would be expected to abide by data protection rules and would be threatened
with expulsion if they fail to comply. Citizens would also have several avenues
to redress their complaints, if they felt their data had been misused. If the
company in question did not resolve the problem, citizens could raise their
issue with EU data protection authorities.
An
arbitration mechanism was also being planned for such complaints, Jourova
added. Additionally the US judicial redress act, once passed, would give EU
citizens the right to approach courts in the US with their complaints.
The
agreement still needs to be approved by the EU's 28 member states before it
comes into force.
Until now,
companies were using "Safe Harbor" to conduct their business across
the Atlantic. The pact was established in 2000 and regulates data sharing
between EU and US companies. It was struck down last November after the
European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the deal did not safeguard the
interests of EU citizens.
Distrust
regarding transatlantic data transfers cropped up in 2013, after revelations
that US intelligence agencies had conducted mass spying.
mg/ng (dpa, AFP)
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