EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Adopted By European Commission Article 31 Committee

Today, the European Union formally adopted the revamped EU-U.S. Privacy Shield, which had been preliminarily approved on Friday by the EU Member states. This news marks a significant step forward for the legal framework, negotiated by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the EC's Article 29 Working Party, to govern cross-border data transfers between the U.S. and EU member states. The long-awaited replacement program for the currently invalidated EU-U.S. Safe Harbor was given strong support by a nearly unanimous favorable vote on Friday, paving the way for formal adoption of the agreement today. In a joint statement released today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and European Union Commissioner Věra Jourová applauded the outcome, stating that the Privacy Shield Framework "will facilitate more trade and collaboration across the Atlantic, and for consumers, the Framework will ensure access to the latest technologies, while providing strong privacy protections."