‘EU and US will soon agree on exchange of personal data’

The European Union and the United States would be close to an agreement on the exchange of citizens’ data. By drawing up rules for this, it must be ensured that the privacy of citizens is guaranteed.

Reuters sources say the talks are now at an advanced stage. If the deal comes through, there will be a framework for exchanging data from US and European citizens. This exchange can take place, for example, if a person is suspected of terrorism or other criminal matters.

If the EU and the US come to an agreement, there will be a formal application procedure that American and European organizations can use. For example, police departments can submit requests to obtain personal data from European or American citizens. Government agencies can also make such requests. Negotiations for such an agreement have been underway since 2011.

According to Reuters, the talks have long stalled over the EU’s wish that European citizens can file charges in the US if they believe their privacy has been violated. American citizens can already sue in Europe for privacy violations, but it was not yet possible to do so vice versa. However, it seems that US politicians are willing to make concessions in this area: a law was recently introduced that gives citizens of countries allied to the US the right to press charges. The bill still needs to be passed through the United States Congress.

Snowden’s revelations have created a lot of mistrust between the US and the EU. The politicians probably hope to be able to restore cooperation with regulations.