Briefing 
 

Data transfers to the UK and US: concern over EU citizens’ privacy 

On Thursday, MEPs will assess data protection in the UK and US and the future of data transfers to these countries with Council and Commission representatives.

In a joint debate, plenary will discuss the implications of the recent EU court ruling on “Schrems II”, which struck down the “Privacy Shield” data transfer framework between the EU and US. In the draft resolution prepared by the Civil Liberties Committee, MEPs underlined that any agreement on the transfer of data to the US must comply with EU court rulings and the opinions of its privacy supervisor.


They will also set out their views regarding the Commission’s draft decisions, which deem that the UK data protection regime complies with the General Data Protection Regulation ‘adequately’. This decision would allow EU-UK transfers of personal data to continue after the expiry of a post-Brexit grace period on data transfers at the end of June. According to the Civil Liberties Committee, the draft decisions do not sufficiently take into account the EU court’s rulings and the concerns of the European Data Protection Board, which include bulk access to data and onward transfers to third countries.


Procedure: Non-legislative resolutions

2021/2594(RSP) and 2020/2789(RSP)

Debate, vote and results: Thursday, 20 May