TACD has written to Members of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE), who are currently preparing an opinion on recommendations to the European Commission concerning the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). LIBE is urging the responsible Committee on International Trade to incorporate its suggestions on privacy, data protection and fundamental rights in the forthcoming over-arching parliamentary resolution. Inclusion of language regarding so-called data flows and data processing, including the processing and transfer of personal information, are of particular concern for consumer and privacy advocates.

According to the Draft Opinion prepared by the Committee, TTIP should “fully exempt[ ] EU rules on the protection of personal data from the agreement”. TACD strongly supports this suggestion as attempts to include personal data transfer rules in the trade negotiations could easily result in a significant weakening of consumer protections. Moreover, TACD shares the opinion that the agreement must not undermine EU rules and safeguards for the transfer of personal data to third countries.

Read the full note from TACD to the LIBE Members here and the 2013 TACD Policy Resolution on Data Flows in TTIP here.