Signatories note that the repercussions of an unduly restrictive approach to data flows will also hit hard more traditional European industries, as a recent BusinessEurope-led coalition statement underlines. They also highlight uncertainties caused by the 16 July ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the so-called Schrems II case (C-311/18) invalidating the EU-US Privacy Shield agreement as a mechanism to transfer data between the EU and the US. Particularly, the groups urge decision-makers to address concerns raised around the European Data Protection Board’s draft recommendations for supplementary measures. The groups recommend that equipping companies with a practical ‘toolbox’ of measures would aid compliance and align with the GDPR’s risk-based approach while allowing for practical ways to allow data transfers in a way that is compliant with EU law. 

The letter was signed by Information Technology Industry Council (ITI); Abelia – The business Association of Norwegian knowledge- and technology based enterprises; ACT | The App Association; Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Allied for Startups ; American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU); American Chamber of Commerce Ireland (AmCham Ireland); Australia Services Roundtable (ASR); Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO); Coalition of Service Industries (CSI); Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA); Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic; Danish Entrepreneurs; Developers Alliance; Ecommerce Europe; European Research Federation (efamro); European Services Forum (ESF); Electronic Transactions Association (ETA); EU Travel Tech; European Publishers Council (EPC); Federation of European Direct and Interactive Marketing (FEDMA); IAB Europe; Internet Association (IA); IT&Telekomföretagen; Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA); TechNet; TechUK; United States Council for International Business (USCIB); US Chamber of Commerce; World Federation of Advertisers

The full letter is available here.