Thread by @fascinatorfun

The increasingly thorny issue of data transfers after Brexit | UK in a changing Europe

“The flow of data is vital for the UK and EU economies. In 2018, the value of the data economy was estimated to be £301 billion, or 2.4% of EU GDP.”

What about the UK? ukandeu.ac.uk/the-increasing…

The Commission estimates that by 2025 its value will increase to €829 billion or 5.8 percent of EU GDP.

The UK has the largest internet economy as a proportion of GDP within the G20, reflecting the centrality of data to most goods and services trade.

An interruption in data flows would therefore be costly.

Very costly.

The significance of this ruling goes far beyond its immediate context. In particular, it creates serious doubts as to whether the UK can obtain a declaration of adequacy under article 45 of the GDPR.

“It stipulates that the Commission can only grant such a relationship when ‘adequate protection’ exists for data subjects in the jurisdiction in question, taking into account inter alia:
‘the rule of law, respect for human rights...

“and fundamental freedoms, relevant legislation, both general and sectoral, including concerning public security, defence, national security and criminal law and the access of public authorities to personal data…’

Ie. It affects what the EU CAN legally agree.

As @adrianflude points out

The #ECJ thinks this is bad for citizens to further the authoritarian state. “UK argued that given the purpose of such mass collection of data was to protect national security, such practices should be exempt from the application of EU law.”

Right.