Will the EU Become an Information Island?

Bob Litt, Miriam Wugmeister, and Alex van der Wolk authored an article for the International Association of Privacy Professionals covering the Court of Justice of the European Union's (CJEU) recent decision in the "Schrems II" case that threatens to massively disrupt trans-Atlantic commerce if no political solution is found.

"Prohibiting transfers of personal information to the U.S. and virtually every other country in the world will not protect European citizens from surveillance because many European countries engage in broad surveillance for national security purposes, and it is questionable whether those European countries provide for the transparency and protections that the CJEU suggests are essential," the authors wrote. "At the same time, if no solution is found, the EU will become an information island, disconnected from the rest of the world. European companies will be severely hindered in competing in the global market; indeed, as COVID-19 hampers physical travel, virtual connectivity will be even more important."

Read the full article.