This Article is From Sep 29, 2015

European Union Court Sets United States Privacy Pact Ruling for October 6

European Union Court Sets United States Privacy Pact Ruling for October 6

File Photo of European Union Flag

Luxembourg: The European Court of Justice will deliver its ruling next Tuesday on a complaint about privacy on Facebook that has major implications for a data protection agreement between the EU and United States.

Judgment in the case has been set for Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT), a court spokesman said in a statement.

Last week, the court's adviser said Austrian Max Schrems had a sound complaint against the Irish data protection agency, which oversees many tech firms in Europe, and said the 15-year-old Safe Harbour agreement by which EU states automatically recognise US privacy standards should be regarded as invalid.

On Monday, the United States strongly criticised that advice from the advocate general, saying it was based on an inaccurate view of US data security following Edward Snowden's 2013 revelations of data-gathering by US intelligence agencies.

It urged the court, which normally follows such advice, to make a different ruling and said the end of Safe Harbour would damage trade and privacy on both sides of the Atlantic.
© Thomson Reuters 2015
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