German data-protection authorities decide on requirement to review Safe Harbor self-certification of U.S. data importers by the exporter
This post was written by Cynthia O'Donoghue and Katharina Weimer.
In 2000, the European Union and the U.S. Department of Commerce agreed to the Safe Harbor framework that includes principles governing the protection of personal data transferred to a U.S.-based company that self-certifies compliance to the Safe Harbor Principles. Compliance with the Principles is deemed by the EU to provide an adequate level of protection for the processing of personal data. Transfers of personal data outside the European Economic Area are prohibited unless adequate measures to protect the data are implemented, and the Safe Harbor framework is one method ensuring adequate protection for transfers of personal data from the EU to the United States. The Department of Commerce publishes a list on the Internet of all companies that have self-certified as Safe Harbor, including information on the status of the certification and on the type of personal data covered by the certification.
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