Facebook could be forced to freeze data flows amid slow progress on EU-US deal after previous pacts were struck down
- EU regulators are finalising a ban on the legal tool Facebook used to transfer European user data because of concerns over US intelligence
- Officials say the new EU-US framework, which aims to offer EU citizens the same level of data protection as under European law, may be ready by summer
A new pact to facilitate the safe transfer of European Union (EU) citizens’ personal data to the United States might not come into force in time to avoid a suspension of Facebook’s transatlantic data flows, the US firm’s lead European regulator said on Tuesday.
Facebook owner Meta Platforms, which has warned a stoppage could force it to suspend Facebook services in Europe, declined to comment on the possible timing of the regulator’s decision or the new pact’s entry into force.
EU regulators led by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) Helen Dixon are finalising a ban on the legal tool used by Facebook to transfer European user data because of concerns US intelligence agencies could access them.
In an interview, Dixon said the ban could be in place by mid-May while a new EU-US data protection framework that would provide an alternative basis for the transfers might take longer.
“They could be very close in timeline or the DPC’s suspension order could come into effect in advance,” Dixon told Reuters. “Things are coming down to the wire.”
The suspension could create a precedent for other firms. It must be signed off by other European regulators by April 13, and after that, Dixon said she would have another month to issue a ruling.
A spokesperson for Meta said the company “welcomes the progress policymakers have made towards ensuring the continued transfer of data across borders and awaits the regulator’s final decision on this matter.”