European Commission approves personal data safeguards.The European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community has approved a new set of standard contractual clauses businesses can use to ensure adequate safeguards when personal data is transferred from European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community (EU) countries to non-EU countries. The new clauses will be added to those already available under the commission's June 2001 decision. Use of standard contractual clauses offers organizations a straightforward means of complying with their obligation under the 1995 EU Data Protection Directive to ensure "adequate protection" for personal data transferred outside the EU. A coalition of business associations led by the International Chamber of Commerce negotiated the new standard contractual clauses with the commission and the committee of EU data protection authorities over the last three years. Companies believe that some of the new clauses, such as those on litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. , allocation of responsibilities, and auditing requirements, are more business-friendly. Yet they provide for a similar level of data protection as those of 2001, and data protection authorities are given more powers to intervene and impose sanctions Sanctions is the plural of sanction. Depending on context, a sanction can be either a punishment or a permission. The word is a contronym. Sanctions involving countries: Contractual clauses are not necessary to transfer data to Switzerland, Canada, Argentina, and the U.K. territories of Guernsey and the Isle of Man Noun 1. Isle of Man - one of the British Isles in the Irish Sea Man British Isles - Great Britain and Ireland and adjacent islands in the north Atlantic , whose governments are recognized by the commission as offering adequate data protection. They are also not needed for transfers to U.S. companies adhering to the "Safe Harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. " privacy principles issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The commission is also working with data protection authorities on other possible alternatives, such as the use of codes of conduct instead of model contracts for the transfer of personal data to third countries. More information is available online at http://europa.eu.int/comm/ internal_market/privacy/modelcontracts_en.htm. |
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