Data Protection & international data transfers: European Commission launches process on personal data transfers to the UK

Posted on 03.03.2021

On 19 February, the European Commission (EC) launched the process towards the adoption of an adequacy decision for transfers of personal data from the EEA to the United Kingdom. For the moment, data flows between the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK are possible thanks to the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement until the 30 of June. As a reminder, the effect of an adequacy decision is that personal data can be sent from an EEA state to a third country without any further safeguard being necessary and would therefore be beneficial for organisations conducting business in the UK and within EEA.

MedTech Europe and, in particular, the Data Protection Committee has been monitoring closely the challenges around international data transfers, especially after the Schrems II (C-311/18) judgment of last July. In this context, MedTech Europe prepared responses to recent EC and European Data Protection (EDPB) consultations on the new Standard Contractual Clauses and on the measures that supplement transfer tools (EDPB Recommendations 01/2020).

For more information, please contact Caterina Marcon ([email protected]).