RGS Statement on EU-U.S. Date Privacy Framework

The Reform Government Surveillance (RGS) coalition today released a statement supporting President Biden’s Executive Order on Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence Activities, implementing the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework agreement. “RGS applauds the Executive Order implementing the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, which was agreed to with the European Commission earlier this year. The newly adopted safeguards as part of the EO will support EU-U.S. data flows, advance data privacy, and address concerns previously raised by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). We recognize and appreciate the effort of the U.S. Government in finalizing its implementation of the Framework. “The Executive Order provides immediate and robust new privacy protections to address the CJEU’s concerns about U.S. surveillance authorities. RGS supports the executive order and believes it effectively ensures the durability of transatlantic data flows. “Cross-border data flows enable online communications, global supply chains, academic research, international financial transactions, and innovation at a global scale. Conversely, burdensome data transfer and storage requirements restrict economic growth and harm consumers. “We are confident that the European Commission will promptly initiate the approval process for a final adequacy decision, which will re-establish the Framework as a transfer mechanism to support data transfers for companies of all sizes, solidify the legal footing of Standard Contractual Clauses, and advance the long-standing principle of trust between the EU and the U.S.”