16/07/2018 (Agence Europe) – During a press conference on Monday 16 July, the European Commissioner for Justice, Vĕra Jourová, announced that an adequacy decision on personal data protection was entering its final phase (see EUROPE 12032). The Commissioner stated, “I think that I can confirm today that we are very close to finalising the negotiation so that we have good news for Mr Juncker and Mr Abe, but this, hopefully, would be confirmed tomorrow”. The finalisation of the negotiations could therefore possibly be announced on Tuesday in Tokyo, during the signing of the strategic partnership and economic partnership agreements (see EUROPE 12058). On the same day in a press release, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) welcomed the fact that personal data had been excluded from the free trade agreement concluded in December 2017 (see EUROPE 12056) and therefore had avoided becoming “a bargaining chip”. (MF)