EU-US data protection Umbrella Agreement: same rights for EU & US citizens

Today, the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs gave the thumbs up to an agreement between the EU and the US on the sharing of data between the two continents in the area of law enforcement. The EPP Group agrees with this transatlantic deal because it increases security for European citizens as terrorist threats are at their highest levels in Europe.

The EPP Group's Spokesman on the file, Axel Voss MEP, said: "I am very glad that the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the recommendation on the EU-US data protection Umbrella Agreement. The European Parliament should follow this recommendation when it comes to the vote in plenary on 1 December. After six years of negotiations, we are approaching a very close end. The Agreement will put in place a comprehensive high-level data protection framework for all personal data transfers between the EU and the US for the purpose of prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of criminal offences, including terrorism.

The Umbrella Agreement will complement the existing agreement and raise the bar of data protection when it comes to transfers of personal data of EU citizens towards the US. EU citizens will have the same rights as US citizens when they seek judicial redress before US courts. This is a major step for the enforcement of fundamental rights for EU citizens."

After next week's vote by the whole European Parliament it will be the EU Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs who will give their final stamp of approval. This is expected in the next few weeks.