In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Justice has today declared that the long-standing ‘safe harbour’ pact covering EU-US data transfers is invalid. Here is our statement, which is approved for use by media:

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Renata Avila, global campaign manager at the World Wide Web Foundation said:

“Today’s Judgment puts people’s fundamental right to privacy before profit. Without effective safeguards for privacy, the Web as we know it could wither and die. Following today’s ruling, new safeguards must now urgently be put in place that protect the Web as it should be, a secure and private space where people can start businesses, research confidential topics or just chat with friends without the fear of being subjected to unwarranted government snooping. We hope that this EU ruling will also inspire countries around the world to review their data protection and exchange policies, and enhance the protection of their citizens.

“The manner of the victory also speaks to the power of the Internet to level the playing field. That Max Schrems, a 28 year old law student, could successfully challenge a long-standing international agreement underlines why we must preserve the Web as a space for debate, dissent and progress.”

ENDS

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