Brussels, 11/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 11 May, a European source confirmed a report by the Reuters agency on 9 May that the European Union and the US are on the point of concluding the trans-Atlantic agreement on personal data protection. Discussions with Washington have effectively already begun in this connection, according to this report.
The European Commission is hoping to complete this dossier that first opened at the beginning of 2011. It is hoping to initial the agreement over the next few weeks, given that the date of the trans-Atlantic ministerial meeting planned for the beginning of June in Riga has been brought forward. Progress is particularly expected on US progress in this field and the report by Jim Sensenbrenner, a member of the US Congress, who proposed extending the right to a legal appeal on US soil in the event of inappropriate data use, to European citizens. This report is expected to settle the long-standing bone of contention between the EU and Washington but it still needs to be adopted by the US Congress.
This framework agreement sets out the main principles surrounding the forthcoming transatlantic agreements relating to the Justice and Home Affairs arena and the transfer of personal data. At the end of the process, the European Parliament will be expected to formally accept this framework agreement. The question of the right of Europeans to appeal is also an important aspect in other ongoing negotiations with the US on the “Safe Harbour” mechanism that the Commission also expects to finalise and which involves the transfer of personal data to US companies such as Google and Facebook. (Solenn Paulic)