Adequate Level for International Data Transfers

Abstract

As a concept, the adequate level of protection for international data transfers remains to some extent unknown and, in the case of the European Union, with regard to Directive 95/46/EC, already repealed, its content has been specified by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Its origin is, in the pre-digital era, in international instruments on the protection of personal data and its most relevant development has occurred in the European Union, until reaching the case of the adequacy decision of Japan, which is the first adopted after 25 of May of 2018, which shows the practical application of the elements required under the GDPR. Other countries, particularly in Latin America, have also included the concept of adequate level in their data protection laws. Although the adequate level is only one of the instruments for international data transfers, the differences that may arise, between countries or regions, as to which countries have an adequate level of protection for international data transfer could lead to
consider whether a multilateral standard that facilitates the latter is advisable. In any case, it should also be considered that the adequacy model is one of the instruments for the international transfer of data, but not the only one, since there may be other mechanisms to apply adequate and effective data protection protections.