More privacy, ce inseamna Safe Harbor?
The European Commission’s Directive on Data Protection went into effect in October, 1998 and would prohibit the transfer of personal data to non-European Union nations that do not meet the European “adequacy” standard for privacy protection. As a result, the Directive could have significantly hampered the ability of U.S. companies to engage in many trans-Atlantic transactions.
In order to bridge these different privacy approaches and provide streamlined means for U.S. organizations to comply with the European Union’s Directive, the U.S. Department of Commerce in consultation with the European Commission developed a “safe harbor” framework. The safe harbor — approved by the EU in 2000– is an important way for U.S. companies to avoid experiencing interruptions in their business dealings with the EU or facing prosecution by European authorities under European privacy laws. Certifying to the safe harbor assures that EU organizations know that certified companies within the “safe harbor” provide adequate privacy protection, as defined by the European Directive.