Brexit

In a draft adequacy decision, reported to have been seen by the Financial Times (FT), the European Commission (the “Commission”) is set to allow the continued free flow of data between the EU and UK, after confirming that the UK offers an adequate level of protection for personal data, pursuant to Article 45 of the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”). According to the FT, the draft decision can be expected this week.

The decision, once adopted, will replace the current interim solution, agreed under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which allows for companies and organisations to transfer personal data from the EU to the UK up until 30 June 2021. For more information on the interim solution please see our previous update “Brexit Updated: Interim Deal Reached on EU-UK Data Transfers”.
Continue Reading Brexit Updated: EU Set to Publish UK Adequacy Decision

Laptop Data TransferOn 24th December 2020, the UK and the EU finally agreed on the terms of a Brexit deal, including an interim solution to the issue of personal data transfers from the EU to the UK.  This interim arrangement gives some much-needed breathing space to European organizations with UK affiliates or that use UK service providers, and renewed hope for an eventual adequacy decision from the European Commission covering transfers of personal data to the UK.

The interim solution agreed allows companies and organisations that transfer personal data from the EU to the UK, to continue to do so, for up to six months to give time for the European Commission to approve an adequacy decision in favour of the UK (under Article 36(3) of Directive (EU) 2016/680 and under Article 45(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679).Continue Reading Brexit Updated: Interim Deal Reached on EU-UK Data Transfers

Brexit and EU keys on KeyboardWith the end of the Brexit transition period fast approaching, we have examined the potential impact on data privacy compliance in the UK and the EU/EEA and prepared a guide which provides practical advice on how to prepare to ensure that your organization is in the best position possible to deal with the outcome of the current UK/EU negotiations on 31 December 2020.

Organisations are advised to identify personal data flows between the EEA and the UK and to devise a plan to ensure that these data transfers will be able to lawfully continue from 1 January 2021, in the event that the UK does not obtain an adequacy decision from the European Commission (and no alternative agreement is reached) in advance of that date. Priority should be given to business-critical data flows and transfers of large volumes of personal data, special category data or criminal data.
Continue Reading The Brexit Transition Period: Are You Ready?

The UK Parliament has today, 15th January 2019, rejected the Government’s Brexit withdrawal agreement with the EU. This turn of events, which was widely anticipated, increases the prospect of a no deal Brexit, i.e. a break-up without a divorce settlement. According to law, the UK will leave the EU on 29th March 2019 with no deal unless Parliament has accepted the withdrawal agreement, or a modified version of it, or a new agreement has been reached with the EU and accepted by Parliament, before then. Although no deal remains an unlikely scenario, it would have consequences for your data protection obligations.

What does this mean for your organisation and the way you manage personal data?
Continue Reading How Might a No-Deal Brexit Impact Your Organisation’s Data Protection Obligations?