BRUSSELS – Today, global tech trade association ITI released the following statement from John Miller, Senior Vice President of Policy, in reaction to the Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-311/18 Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Limited, Maximillian Schrems:

“Standard contractual clauses (SCCs) serve as essential instruments enabling companies to transfer data, while building trust and advancing innovation across the Atlantic. Importantly, SCCs, as well as other transfer mechanisms such as the EU-US Privacy Shield, allow international companies that rely on data to conduct international business operations and uphold the privacy of their users.

"While we are still reviewing the full text, we welcome the Advocate General’s (AG) opinion stating SCCs are a valid transfer mechanism. The opinion indicates that SCCs will continue to function and enable companies of all sizes to transfer data that is fundamental to business operations ranging from day-to-day services, to access to the cloud, to human resources and finance functions. Continued support for this integral data protection mechanism, as well as the Privacy Shield, will help ensure EU citizens' privacy and the capacity of companies to continue to innovate. If the Court of Justice for the European Union follows the AG’s opinion, it will provide further legal certainty.”