Analysing The Annex 3E Data Protection And Processing Of Personal Information Under The India-UK CETA

On July 24, 2025, India and the UK entered into an international agreement, the "Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and India", commonly referred to as the India-UK CETA. One of the significant aspects of this Agreement is the recognition of the importance of Privacy and Data Protection. For this, a comprehensive Annex has been put in place, namely Annex 3E (Data Protection and Processing of Personal Information).

As per Chapter 3 (Rules of Origin) of the Agreement and specifically Article 3.16 Basis of a Claim for Preferential Tariff Treatment and Annex 3D (Framework for the Authentication Process of Origin Declarations), this Annex 3E is to be signed by the Parties with modifications to enable India to establish the authenticity of an origin declaration prior to an Indian importer making a claim for preferential tariff treatment. This will be applicable to personal data processed by the