Data Protection: EU Law

(asked on 7th September 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of plans announced on 26 August 2021 to change the UK's data regime on the continuation of the UK’s EU data adequacy status.


Answered by
John Whittingdale Portrait
John Whittingdale
This question was answered on 15th September 2021

The UK regained autonomy over its domestic data protection laws on 1st January 2021. Exact alignment to EU law is not a requirement for EU data adequacy. Indeed, the thirteen EU ‘adequate’ countries, from Israel to New Zealand, each have data protection laws that are different to the EU’s.

The UK can reshape its approach to regulation and seize opportunities with its new regulatory freedoms, helping to drive growth, innovation and competition across the country. The first step in delivering on that objective is the consultation that was announced on 26 August, which went live on 10 September.

In doing so, the UK intends to maintain its high standards of data protection and ensure that the UK data regime continues to be based on public trust in the responsible use of data. We will continue to engage with EU counterparts, as appropriate, on these issues.

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