DMA's response to House of Lords inquiry on data adequacy

This week, the DMA submitted written evidence to the House of Lords' European Affairs Committee's inquiry into data adequacy which was granted to the UK by the European Commission post-Brexit. The current adequacy arrangements expire next year. Without it, maintaining data flows between the UK and the EU could become less straightforward for businesses and, therefore, have an impact on the UK economy.

Ahead of renewal discussions, the Committee is investigating how current arrangements are working in practice, including benefits and shortcomings, as well as the possible implications of any divergence in the respective data protection regimes of the UK and EU.

In its evidence, the DMA concludes that:

"Adequacy is important. Adequacy is not based on having identical legislation but “essential equivalence”. The EU should apply the same approach to UK as it has done for all other countries that have achieved adequacy. The UK should not be treated differently just because its starting point was EU data protection laws."

The DMA's evidence can be read here

Further details about the inquiry can be found here:

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8338/ukeu-data-adequacy/

Since the DMA submitted this evidence, the General Election has been called and the work of Parliamentary Committees will now cease until after the Election. Once Parliament resumes, the DMA will monitor the future work programme of this Committee to see if they will be revisiting this inquiry.