EU-US Data Protection: Safe Harbour Agreement needs updating

"The US has to deliver. Closer collaboration is only possible if the US authorities are able to provide high data protection standards to EU citizens. Mutual trust has to be rebuilt", said Manfred Weber MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, as the European Commission presented its review on existing EU-US Agreements.

"It is high time that the US provided sufficient legal protection in this area. The demands of the European Commission have to be met and implemented. In particular, there is considerable room for improvement under the Safe Harbour Agreement. If action to remedy the situation is not taken quickly, the EU will have to suspend the Agreement", said Weber who is responsible for Justice and Home Affairs matters in the EPP Group.

According to the Commission's findings, the US has implemented and operated the Agreements on Passenger Name Record (PNR) and bank data (SWIFT) in a satisfactory manner. "What is lacking is a European commitment. The Commission and the Member States have to set up a joint and independent EU system to oversee financial transactions in Europe. Nothing has happened so far", said Weber.

"The Safe Harbour Agreement is not being implemented effectively. It is only possible to collaborate in a spirit of mutual trust if the US realises that its recent approach has no future. We mean what we say. The Commission has scrutinised the implementation and operation of the existing Agreements in a serious manner and has not just been doing things for the sake of doing things", concluded the EPP Group Vice-Chairman.