Commission allows exemptions to the US Privacy Act to stay in place: Umbrella Agreement cannot be effectively implemented - Main contents

Today MEP Sophie in 't Veld received an answer from Commissioner Jourová to her letter about the inconsistencies in Commission explanation on Privacy Shield and Umbrella Agreement. In the letter In 't Veld addressed the refusal of the US authorities to repeal the exemptions to the US Privacy Act. This repeal is necessary to make sure that the US obligations under the Umbrella Agreement are sufficiently enacted to guarantee the protections and rights that Europeans should enjoy regarding the transfer of their personal data for the purpose of law enforcement and the fight against terrorism.

In its answers to the questions posed in the LIBE committee in March 2016, which can be found below, the Commission clearly mentioned before that the exemptions to the Privacy Act must be repealed for the Umbrella Agreement to be effectively implemented and enacted in the US. However, in its answer to In 't Veld, the Commission deems that the exemptions do not need to be lifted anymore.