News & Current Events

Safe Harbor-Related Roundtables and Webinars

Join Tech America and the U.S. Department of Commerce for a Data Privacy Roundtable! This event will feature Robin Layton, Director of the Office of Technology and Electronic Commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Christopher Hoff, International Privacy Policy Analyst, U.S. Department of Commerce. They will discuss the Administration’s privacy blueprint, work on the APEC Cross Border Privacy System, Safe Harbor developments, and more.

Safe Harbor Website Developments

Summary of FTC Enforcement Posted August 2012: A summary, which we prepared in early August 2012, of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforcement of Safe Harbor commitments is available via the link provided herein.

New Survey Feature Launched in June 2012:  Organizations participating in the U.S.-EU and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor programs will be invited to complete a new survey to help ITA’s Office of Technology and Electronic Commerce better evaluate the programs and how they support U.S. exports.  The survey consists of five short questions and should only take a few minutes to complete.  Those organizations self-certifying for the first time or recertifying on-line will be prompted to complete the survey prior to arriving at the payment page.  We hope that organizations participating in one or both of the Safe Harbor programs will take this important opportunity to communicate directly with ITA regarding the programs to help us better serve the Safe Harbor community.

New Safe Harbor List Search Function Launched in June 2012:  In an effort to further enhance the functionality of the Safe Harbor website (export.gov/safeharbor), ITA’s Office of Technology and Electronic Commerce launched a new search function making the U.S.-EU and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Lists searchable by organization certification status (i.e. “Current” or “Not Current”).  We hope that this enhancement will make the Safe Harbor Lists and the Safe Harbor website even more useful to all Safe Harbor stakeholders.

U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Cooperation

U.S.-EU Joint Statement on Privacy from EU Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding and U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson

March 19, 2012, Washington, DC

“In line with the objectives of increasing trade and regulatory cooperation outlined by our leaders at the U.S.-EU Summit, the United States and the European Union reaffirm their respective commitments to the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework. This Framework, which has been in place since 2000, is a useful starting point for further interoperability. Since its inception, over 3,000 companies have self-certified to the Framework to demonstrate their commitment to privacy protection and to facilitate transatlantic trade. The European Commission and the Department of Commerce look forward to continued close U.S.-EU collaboration to ensure the continued operation and progressive updates to this Framework. As the EU and the United States continue to work on significant revisions to their respective privacy frameworks over the next several years, the two sides will endeavor to find mechanisms that will foster the free flow of data across the Atlantic. Both parties are committed to work towards solutions based on non-discrimination and mutual recognition when it comes to personal data protection issues which could serve as frameworks for global interoperability that can promote innovation, the free flow of goods and services, and privacy protection around the world. The EU and the United States remain dedicated to the operation of the Safe Harbor Framework-as well as to our continued cooperation with the Commission to address issues as they arise-as a means to allow companies to transfer data from the EU to the United States, and as a tool to promote transatlantic trade and economic growth.”  

Privacy and Protection of Personal Data Conference

March 19, 2012, Washington, DC

This European Commission hosted conference covered transatlantic privacy issues and focused on current policy and legislative initiatives in the European Union and the United States.  The conference also included a discussion of the US-EU Safe Harbor Framework.