UK-US data bridge: supporting documents
These supporting documents relate to the regulations laid by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology for the UK-US data bridge.
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The documents provide information for members of the public and guidance for organisations in relation to the ‘UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework’.
The adequacy regulations (statutory instrument) made by the UK government for the ‘UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework’ come into effect on 12 October 2023.
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology laid the regulations on 21 September 2023, which specify that the US provides an adequate level of protection of personal data for certain transfers. This means that personal data which will be in the scope of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework Principles can be transferred to persons in the United States of America who participate in the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework without the need for any specific authorisation.
A data bridge is granted by the UK to individual countries, sectors or international organisations which provide adequate standards of protection for personal data. It is the most straightforward mechanism for transferring personal data overseas and can also provide greater certainty and confidence in the regulatory landscape of another country. Once in place, UK-based organisations can transfer personal data to that country without restriction (within the scope of each regulation).
In practice this means organisations (of any size) will no longer be required to put in place contractual safeguards.