Bruno Gencarelli, Head of Unit, International Data Flows and Protection, European Commission, said that even if data transfers is an area that often causes anxieties and concerns for business, we can also see new opportunities to facilitate safe and free data transfers with partners around the world.

He has the pivotal role in investigating and reviewing the countries which currently have an adequacy declaration and those which are applying for an adequacy declaration for the first time. Recently, the spotlight has been on the United Kingdom – and on how it can retain its newly granted adequacy decision whilst developing its independent data protection regime. While “essential equivalence” does not mean a carbon copy of the EU GDPR, what are the limits of divergence?