On July 12, 2016, the European Commission adopted the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield, the successor to the 2000 U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework. The Privacy Shield is a critical tool allowing U.S. companies to transfer personal data from Europe to the United States in a way which complies with European laws and regulations. However, there are many details that are important for U.S. businesses to be aware of.
The Commerce Department began accepting self-certifications under the new program on August 1, 2016. In a one hour webinar on Aug. 2, SIIA’s Senior Director for International Public Policy, Carl Schonander, provided a briefing on the Commerce Department’s Guide to self-certification, including what “nuts and bolts” actions companies need to take in order to self-certify; why companies should self-certify by Sept. 30, 2016; and some of the key differences between Privacy Shield and the previous Safe Harbor.
Three major takeaways for publishers include:
- Find an independent dispute resolution provider before certifying.
- If you want to take advantage of the nine month “grace period” to modify onward transfer contracts, certify by September 30, 2016.
Connectiv members can access a recording of the webinar here while the presentation deck is available here. Follow-up questions can be directed to Carl Schonander at cschonander@SIIA.net.
Resources:
Webinar: What Companies Need to Know To Certify Under the EU-US Privacy Shield
Whitepaper: Guidelines for Privacy Policymakers
Matt Kinsman is vice president of content + programming at Connectiv, the only association focused on the integrated b-to-b model—including publications, events, digital media, marketing services and business information. Prior to joining Connectiv's predecessor American Business Media in 2011, Kinsman was executive editor of Folio:, the leading information provider for the magazine industry.