A delegation from the European Parliament civil liberties committee (LIBE) will be in Washington from 16-19 July “to obtain updated information” from the US authorities about a whole range of questions affecting personal data protection.
In a column published last week in the US newspaper, The Hill, the Chairperson of the LIBE committee, Claude Moraes (S&D, United Kingdom), explained that this visit would, amongst other things allow for direct discussions with the US government, Congress and stakeholders regarding the EU's response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
After a number of hearings organised in June and July (see EUROPE 12054), the LIBE committee intends to present a resolution on the matter in order to express its expectations in this regard. Another subject is also expected to be tackled: the transatlantic data protection mechanism, the Privacy Shield. At the beginning of July, MPs passed a strong resolution calling for the suspension of the mechanism unless the US fully complies with it by 1 September 2018 (see EUROPE 12056).
MEPs will also examine the challenges represented by the US Cloud Act, as well as transatlantic cooperation in the cyber security field and the fight against terrorism.
Mr Moraes stated “Lawmakers in the US and the EU must respond to our shared challenge of providing an effective policy response to the multiple threats our citizens face in terms of data protection, privacy, cybersecurity and electoral processes”. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)