BRUSSELS — In response to the third Privacy Shield review published today by the European Commission, the Center for Data Innovation released the following statement from Senior Policy Analyst Eline Chivot.
The Privacy Shield is a critical instrument in guaranteeing continued and stable cooperation between the EU and the United States in the digital economy. Seamless data flows are necessary in today’s global economy, and without this agreement, the EU’s privacy rules would be even more disruptive. We are pleased to see the European Commission reaffirm the merits of the program, as well as recognize that the U.S. government is upholding its side of the agreement.
However, the pact is currently in jeopardy. The European Court of Justice has yet to rule on whether European citizens’ personal data can be transferred to the United States, a decision expected in early 2020. Should the Court find that the agreement is not sufficient, businesses and users on both sides of the Atlantic will pay a heavy toll that neither can afford.