We Are Updating Our Privacy Policy: Data Legislation in the U.S. and EU

 

With every facet of our lives now online, data privacy strikes at the very core of a person’s human rights. New legislation can impact people’s civil liberties concerning their healthcare records, social media accounts, work information, genetic data and more. The implications of this evolving subject will be far-reaching and will affect most people, governments, and organizations.

The discussion was the second event in Meridian’s Tech Envoy series, which is supported by Intuit and AWS. Ambassador Stuart Holliday, CEO of Meridian, welcomed guests of honor, Chairman Juan Fernando López Aguilar, of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (LIBE), along with six members of the committee, Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, Moritz Körner, Karlo Ressler, Birgit Sippel, Tom Vandendriessche, and Javier Zarzalejos. Shannon Kellogg, Vice President of Public Policy, Americas, Amazon Web Services, provided introductory remarks, while Kenneth Propp, Professor of European Union Law, Georgetown University Law Center moderated the conversation.

Participants discussed the importance of building trust in cross-Atlantic data flow and the need for legislative activity to address data privacy and security issues. Highlights included the extensive legislative programming in the EU, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and various acts related to data and services. The significance of data rights as a matter of constitutional human rights and the challenges in regulating rapidly evolving technologies was also a topic of discussion. The participants shared the desire to find common ground and standards between the EU the U.S. to ensure the consistent and lawful transfer of data.

Stakeholders discussed the need for continued constructive dialogue between the EU and the U.S. on data privacy and legislation. Participants expressed appreciation for the constructive approach and progress made by the U.S. in addressing data privacy concerns. In a fast-evolving world, the importance of finding common ground and standards to facilitate data sharing, while protecting fundamental rights on both sides of the Atlantic, will be paramount for the future of data.

This program is part of Meridian’s Tech Envoy Series, which enables discussion of the ways the public and private sectors can join forces with civil society around the world to tackle today’s greatest challenges through technology. During the briefing, attendees will have an opportunity to offer their own perspectives.

This program series was made possible through the support of: