The US and EU have hailed a breakthrough in an ongoing battle over data protection standards, during a visit by President Joe Biden to Europe to build transatlantic unity over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
For years the transfer of European citizens’ data to the US has been a topic of contention particularly in the light of allegations about US intelligence agencies accessing foreign persons’ data.
But the Russian invasion of Ukraine appears to have reset discussions between Washington and Brussels.
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In a joint announcement on Friday morning, Mr Biden and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said they had “found an agreement in principle on a new framework for transatlantic data flows”.
“This is another step in strengthening our partnership,” said Ms von der Leyen.
The announcement was made as the two powers agreed a new partnership that would reduce Europe’s dependence on energy supplied by Russia.
President Biden alleged this dependence was being exploited by Russian President Vladimir Putin to “coerce and manipulate his neighbours” and that the funds it provided were used to “drive his war machine”.
Politico, which reported on the looming data breakthrough before the announcement, said several EU and US officials dismissed the link between the agreement and the invasion of Ukraine.
One of the officials stressed “the fundamental problems of getting a deal done don’t go away because of the war in Ukraine”.
Allegations about US intelligence agencies have spurred the privacy concerns
What is the issue?
Court cases (notably two led by Austrian activist Max…
Source : skynews
