EU: EC “positive” about accord

The EC remains “positive and optimistic” on a data protection agreement with the US, following an informal meeting between the EU’s financial services director-general John Mogg and David Aaron, US under-secretary of commerce. “The atmosphere of the meeting was once again very positive and both sides remain optimistic that the objectives of the dialogue can be realised,” said the Commission. The EC said the meeting aimed to “explore the similarities and differences between the EU and US approaches to ensure high standards of data privacy and ways of avoiding possible interruptions to exchanges of personal data resulting from the differences.” The EC and US discussed general data protection issues and specific points on what the EU’s data protection directive, due to come into force on 25 October, will mean for transfers of personal data to third countries. The EC will now consult the MS and seek their support for concluding the dialogue by the end of the year.