The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has announced details on the new transatlantic data flow mechanism for UK-to-US personal data transfers.
The decision to establish a data bridge with the United States of America is a UK extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF) finalized in July.
From October 12, UK businesses and organizations will be able to make use of this data bridge to safely and securely transfer personal data — subject to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — to certified organizations in the US.
The UK government has defined “data bridge” as the decision to permit the flow of personal data from the UK to another country without the need for further safeguards. It symbolizes the connection between destinations that is established by these decisions and encapsulates the UK’s collaborative approach with international partners.
Now, US entities under the scope of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Transportation (DOT) have the capability to self-certify for the UK extension to the DPF, thus gaining access to the advantages offered by the new UK-US data bridge.
Banks, insurance companies and telcos, among others, are currently unable to participate in the DPF program.
In 2021, the UK exported more than £79 million of data-enabled services to the US. The expectation is that the newly established data flow agreement will not only promote economic growth between the two nations but also foster an environment for businesses to expand their operations globally.
