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Brexit/GDPR: European Commission Publishes Draft Adequacy Decision for Data Transfers

By Dr. Claus Färber and Ralf Weisser on Feb 23, 2021
Posted In Consumer Protection, Data Privacy, Data Transfers/Safe Harbor/Privacy Shield

On 19 February 2021, the European Commission published the draft for an adequacy decision regarding transfers of personal data to the UK. For businesses in the European Union (and EEA) who transfer data to business partners and vendors in the UK, it will be crucial that the final decision is made before the end of June 2021.

Thanks to an additional transitional period for data transfers in the last-minute EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the worst fears of data protection experts that the UK could become a “third country” overnight did not materialise. However, this period ends no later than in June 2021.

While the chances that final decision will be issued in time have now increased, companies in the EU/EEA should be aware that this is not guaranteed. In case the Commission fails to authorize data transfers to the UK, businesses should – if no other safeguards are present – be prepared enter into the standard contractual clauses (SCCs, aka Model Contracts) in order to comply with the GDPR.

McDermott can help you with identifying data transfers to the UK and choosing the right SCCs.

Data Protection During and After the Pandemic: Consolidate, Update and Innovate

By McDermott Will & Emery on Sep 29, 2020
Posted In Data Privacy, Workplace Privacy

Having adapted products, processes, services, facilities and IT systems in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19), businesses should now refocus on their legal and business fundamentals as they move towards returning to the office. Compliance policies should be updated, Brexit contingency plans reinvigorated, and upcoming legal and regulatory changes anticipated.

While taking these steps, businesses should bear in mind a number of key data protection and IT/cybersecurity fundamentals, and take the opportunities afforded by the return to work period to kick-start new initiatives.

Click here to read the full article, and many more in our latest International News: Focus on Global Privacy and Cybersecurity.

Schrems II Special Report: What Does the CJEU’s Decision Mean for Transfers From the EEA to the US?

By Laura E. Jehl and Romain Perray on Aug 7, 2020
Posted In Consumer Protection, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Data Transfers/Safe Harbor/Privacy Shield

For our Schrems II Practical Guidance special report, members of McDermott’s internationally recognized Global Privacy & Cybersecurity group have outlined practical guidance and next steps to ensure your business is prepared for what’s next following the final ruling in Data Protection Commissioner v. Facebook Ireland Limited, Maximillian Schrems.

As your organization navigates the post-Schrems II landscape following the CJEU’s recent decision, consider McDermott your first point of call. We have deep experience advising global clients on compliance with the complex array of privacy and cybersecurity obligations affecting data that crosses borders or relates to foreign employees and individuals.

Practical Guidance for Businesses (US Edition)

Practical Guidance for Businesses (Global – EEA/UK Edition)

Washington State Takes the Lead in CCPA Copycat Legislation Race, Trends Emerge

By Laura E. Jehl, Kari Prochaska and Mark E. Schreiber on Mar 6, 2020
Posted In Consumer Protection, Data Privacy

Since the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) took effect on January 1, 2020, “copycat” legislation has been introduced at a dizzying pace by state legislatures across the country. Taking their cues from CCPA, at last count 16 states have borrowed language from California’s watershed law regarding consumer notices, data subject rights requests, and definitions of “personal information, “sale” of data and other key items. The likely intent is to provide equal (or, in some cases, greater) protections to the residents of their states.

As a practical matter, however, none of the proposed laws is identical to CCPA (nor to each other); some look to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and each takes a complex approach that requires careful reading. The proposed Washington Privacy Act (SB 6281) has been touted as the most comprehensive data protection law in the United States and combines elements of CCPA and GDPR, adding specific protections for biometric information. Late last week, the Washington House added significant enforcement “teeth” by passing an amendment that would provide a private right of action under the Washington Consumer Protection Act for any violation of the Privacy Act.

Despite the lack of uniformity among the recently proposed bills across the country, three key trends are emerging:

Trend #1 – Increased Push for a Private Right of Action

In Washington, pending legislation would extend the private right of action beyond alleged harm arising from data breaches to any violation of the proposed Washington Privacy Act. While prior versions of the legislation vested exclusive enforcement authority in the Washington Attorney General—with penalties up to $7,500 per violation—late last week, the Innovation, Technology and Economic Development Committee in the Washington House approved an amendment to SB 6281 under which any violation of the Privacy Act would be deemed a per se violation of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act. While it is unclear exactly how damages will ultimately be calculated, a broad private right of action is a significant enforcement mechanism for Washington consumers. Supporters of the amendment argued that without a private right of action, companies would have little incentive to comply with the law because the Attorney General’s office lacks the resources to undertake many enforcement actions.

Recent bills propose legislation that closely tracks the CCPA’s private right of action for individuals who allege that they were harmed by data breaches caused by a business’ failure to implement “reasonable security” measures. Both the Illinois Data Transparency and Privacy Act (SB 2330) and New Hampshire’s proposed privacy law, HB 1680, provide consumers with private right of action where personal information is (i) unencrypted and unredacted; and (ii) subject to exfiltration, theft or disclosure due to failure to implement reasonable data security procedures. Consumers may seek damages the greater of $100 – $750 per consumer, per incident or actual damages.

If Washington or other states enact data privacy laws with such provisions, the potential liability for organizations affected by data breaches or failing to comply with sweeping new privacy obligations could rapidly become [...]

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Keeping Pace in the GDPR Race: A Global View of Progress

By McDermott Will & Emery on Sep 24, 2019
Posted In Data Privacy

In preparation for GDPR compliance, organizations around the globe worked months in advance of the deadline to ensure compliance. But what happened after the date of effectiveness? McDermott set out to learn how companies fared across the United States, Europe, China and Japan.

In digging deeper, we discovered valuable findings, including:

Countries and regions are at different points in their GDPR compliance awareness and execution journeys.
Businesses across the globe continue to face challenges in understanding and responding to EU data breaches, despite making investments in new personnel and changing business practices.

In partnership with the Ponemon Institute, we released our latest study, “Keeping Pace in the GDPR Race: A Global View of GDPR Progress in the United States, Europe, China and Japan.” This report sheds new insight and provides ways to improve resiliency and mitigate risk for your company.

Click here to see our key findings and download the report.

2018 Digital Health Data Developments – Navigating Change in 2019

By McDermott Will & Emery on Feb 4, 2019
Posted In Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Data Transfers/Safe Harbor/Privacy Shield

Data privacy and security legislation and enforcement saw significant activity in 2018 and early 2019. McDermott’s 2018 Digital Health Year in Review: Focus on Data report – the first in a four-part series – highlights notable developments and guidance that health care providers, digital health companies and other health care industry stakeholders should navigate in 2019. Here, we summarize four key issues that stakeholders should watch in the coming year. For more in-depth discussion of these and other notable issues, access the full report.

EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enhances protections for certain personal data on an international scale. US-based digital health providers and vendors that either (a) offer health care or other services or monitor the behavior of individuals residing in the EU, or (b) process personal data on behalf of entities conducting such activities should be mindful of the GDPR’s potential applicability to their operations and take heed of any GDPR obligations, including, but not limited to, enhanced notice and consent requirements and data subject rights, as well as obligations to execute GDPR-compliant contracts with vendors processing personal data on their behalf.
California passes groundbreaking data privacy law. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which takes effect on January 1, 2020, will regulate the collection, use and disclosure of personal information pertaining to California residents by for-profit businesses – even those that are not based in California – that meet one or more revenue or volume thresholds. Similar in substance to the GDPR, the CCPA gives California consumers more visibility and control over their personal information. The CCPA will affect clinical and other scientific research activities of academic medical centers and other research organizations in the United States if the research involves information about California consumers.
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) continues aggressive HIPAA enforcement. OCR announced 10 enforcement actions and collected approximately $25.68 million in settlements and civil money penalties from HIPAA-regulated entities in 2018. OCR also published two pieces of guidance and one tool for organizations navigating HIPAA compliance challenges in the digital health space.
Interoperability and the flow of information in the health care ecosystem continues to be a priority. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) submitted its proposed rule to implement various provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in September 2018; this is one of the final steps before a proposed rule is published in the Federal Register and public comment period opens. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its own interoperability proposed rule and finalized changes to the Promoting Interoperability (PI) programs to reduce burden and emphasize interoperability of inpatient prospective payment systems and long-term care hospital prospective payment systems.

GDPR 6 Months After Implementation: Where are We Now?

By Amy C. Pimentel and Mark E. Schreiber on Nov 5, 2018
Posted In Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, General Interest

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was the biggest story of 2018 in the field of global privacy and data protection. The GDPR became enforceable in European Union Member States on May 25, 2018, significantly expanding the territorial reach of EU data protection law and introducing numerous changes that affected the way organizations globally process the personal data of their EU customers, employees and suppliers. These important changes required action by companies and institutions around the world. In almost six months after the GDPR’s effective date, organizations are still working on compliance—and will be for years to come.

Critical provisions

The GDPR applies to organizations inside and outside the EU. Organizations “established” inside the EU, essentially meaning a business or unit located in the EU, must comply with the GDPR if they process personal data in the context of that establishment. The GDPR also applies to organizations outside the EU that offer goods or services to, or monitor the behavior of, individuals located in the EU.

The GDPR uses other terms not familiar to US businesses but which need to be understood. Both “data controllers” and “data processors” have obligations under the GDPR, and data subjects can bring actions directly against either or both of those parties. A data controller is an organization that has control over and determines how and why to process data. A data controller is often, but not always, the organization that has the direct relationship with the data subject (the individual about whom the data pertains). A data processor is an organization that processes personal data on behalf of a data controller, typically a vendor or service provider. The GDPR defines “processing” to mean any operation or set of operations performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means (e.g., collection, recording, storage, alteration, use, disclosure and structuring).

The GDPR also broadly defines “personal data” as any information directly or indirectly relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, such as a name, identification number, location data, an online identifier, or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person. Organizations in the US are used to a narrower definition of personal data, which typically includes information that, if breached, would put an individual at risk of identity theft or fraud and require notice (e.g., Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and financial account, credit and debit card numbers). (more…)

The GDPR’s Effects in China: Comparison with Local Rules and Considerations for Implementation

By Jared T. Nelson and Shi Yuhang on May 31, 2018
Posted In Consumer Protection, Cybersecurity, Data breach, Data Privacy, Data Transfers/Safe Harbor/Privacy Shield, General Interest

As Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect, companies around the world are racing to implement compliance measures. In parallel with the GDPR’s development, China’s new data protection framework has emerged over the past year and is in the final stages of implementing the remaining details. With similar and often overlapping obligations, full compliance with the GDPR and China’s data protection framework presents a significant new challenge for companies with operations in China.

Does the GDPR Apply to Companies in China?

The GDPR applies to the processing of personal data of people who are in the European Union, even for a controller or processor in China, where the processing of the data is related to:

The offering of goods or services to the data subjects in the European Union, regardless of whether a payment is required; or
The monitoring of people’s behavior in the European Union.

As a result, even if a Chinese company does not have any formal establishments in the European Union, the GDPR will nonetheless apply if it is conducting either of these two types of activities.

What Are the Requirements for Companies in China Subject to the GDPR?

The GDPR primarily focuses on two categories of entities: “controllers” and “processors.” These two types are similar to concepts in the Chinese rules. “Controllers” are entities that, alone or jointly with others, determine the purposes and means of the processing of personal data. “Processors” are entities that carry out the processing of personal data on behalf of the controllers.

Key requirements for most controllers under the GDPR: (more…)

Does GDPR Regulate My Research Studies in the United States?

By Daniel F. Gottlieb, Bernadette M. Broccolo, Amy C. Pimentel and Matthew R. Cin on Feb 7, 2018
Posted In Big Data, Consumer Protection, Data Privacy, Workplace Privacy

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) establishes protections for the privacy and security of personal data (Personal Data) about individuals in the European Union (EU) single market countries, and potentially affects the clinical and other scientific research activities of academic medical centers and other research organizations in the United States.

This On the Subject includes frequently asked questions that discuss the extent to which United States research organizations must comply with GDPR when conducting research. Future coverage will address the impact of GDPR on other aspects of the United States health care sector.

The General Data Protection Regulation: Key Requirements and Compliance Steps for 2018

By Jared T. Nelson, Leon C.G. Liu, Michael G. Morgan, Mark E. Schreiber, Paul McGrath, Romain Perray, Sabine Naugès, Camille Spegt, Dr. Wolfgang Freiherr Raitz von Frentz and McDermott Will & Emery on Feb 6, 2018
Posted In Big Data, Consumer Protection, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy

Enforceable in all EU member states on 25 May 2018, the General Data Privacy Regulation will require action by organisations both inside and outside the European Union to ensure compliance with this far-reaching privacy legal framework. Compliance is even more urgent given that the GDPR provides for large penalties in cases of infringement. As some entities are not yet aware of the extent to which GDPR may be applicable to them, the GDPR expressly applies to organisations established outside the European Union that offer paid or free goods or services to EU data subjects or monitor EU data subjects’ behaviour.

Within this article, we review steps for a risk based, prioritization approach to GDPR compliance and how companies can adjust their policies and practices on a pragmatic basis to help ensure compliance.