ICDP Welcomes European Consensus on International Data Transfers
The Industry Coalition for Data Protection (ICDP), which includes Video Games Europe as a member, is glad to see the constructive consensus reached by the European Council on the aspect of international data transfers as part of the General Data Protection Regulation:
Brussels, 6 June 2014 – The Industry Coalition for Data Protection (ICDP), a group of 16 associations representing thousands of European and international companies who are building, delivering and advancing the digital experience, welcomed the positive developments made in Council and endorsed by Ministers today on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation, including agreement on chapter V covering international data transfers. Most of the new provisions represent constructive improvements to the current situation for companies and citizens alike.
“The digital economy delivers enormous benefits for Europe with users increasingly interacting in a global, data-enabled online environment. As such, we applaud many of the refinements to the Commission text that were agreed by the Member States as they strike the right balance between facilitating the free flow of information while also safeguarding the personal data of European citizens,” said Chris Sherwood, head of public policy for Allegro Group, speaking on behalf of ICDP.
Among the constructive improvements to chapter V agreed in Council were acknowledgment of “legitimate interest” as a legal basis for data transfers and a more refined definition of appropriate safeguards – importantly, giving some of these legal status such as the case of binding corporate rules (BCRs). In addition, the adequacy regime is moving towards a more outcome oriented process, which is an improvement to the current framework.
ICDP also welcomed the Council’s continuing discussions on the one-stop-shop mechanism. “A clear commitment to a meaningful one-stop-shop mechanism that operates on the premise of ‘one decision, one outcome’ would provide legal certainty and greater efficiency for industry, citizens, and regulators alike,” said Sherwood.
“We congratulate the Greek Presidency on achieving meaningful progress on this complex dossier,” Sherwood continued. “In discussions on the substantive items still on the agenda, we hope the Council will continue to take an approach that is aligned to business and technology realities, and that ensures the protection of users’ personal data while bearing in mind their increasingly rich engagement with the Internet. We look forward to working with the Italian Presidency to ensure Europe’s data protection framework creates conditions under which both privacy and innovation can flourish.”