The European Union (EU) has “formally recognised” the UK’s data protection standards, it has been announced.
It means personal data can continue to flow freely between the UK and the EU and the wider European Economic Area (EEA) without having to put additional safeguards in place.
According to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), the EU has agreed to adopt “data adequacy” decisions with the UK on the basis that British businesses process personal data under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Law Enforcement Directive (LED).
Launched in May 2018, GDPR revolutionised how data was collected and processed in the EU – introducing provisions such as consent, improved cyber security and the requirement to regularly audit personal data and delete sensitive information, such as names, phone numbers and addresses, when no longer needed or when requested.
Welcoming the move, business bodies said the agreement will support trade, innovation and investment, as well as improve cross-border enforcement of data security practices.
“This breakthrough in the EU-UK adequacy decision will be welcomed by businesses across the country,” said John Foster, Director of Policy at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
“The free flow of data is the bedrock of the modern economy and essential for firms across all sectors– from automotive to logistics – playing an important role in everyday trade of goods and services. This positive step will help us move forward as we develop a new trading relationship with the EU.”
TechUK CEO, Julian David, added: “Securing an EU-UK adequacy decision has been a top priority for techUK and the wider tech industry since the day after the 2016 referendum. The decision that the UK’s data protection regime offers an equivalent level of protection to the EU GDPR is a vote of confidence in the UK’s high data protection standards and is of vital importance to UK-EU trade as the free flow of data is essential to all business sectors.
“The data adequacy decision also provides a basis for the UK and EU to work together on global routes for the free flow of data with trust, building on the G7 Digital and Technology declaration and possibly unlocking €2 trillion of growth.
“The UK must also now move to complete the development of its own international data transfer regime in order to allow companies in the UK not just to exchange data with the EU, but also to be able to access opportunities across the world.”
Learn more about the data adequacy decision here.
For help and advice with related matters, please get in touch with our expert team today.