US-EU data deal at risk in Facebook case judgment

AFP, BRUSSELS: The EU's top court is set to rule Tuesday on a transatlantic data deal, relied on by companies such as Facebook, a judgement that could see it declared invalid given spying revelations in the Edward Snowden scandal.
The landmark case before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg stems from a complaint against social media giant Facebook lodged against Irish authorities by Austrian law student Max Schrems.
The complaint focuses on the "Safe Harbour" deal signed in 2000 between Brussels and Washington that allows data transfers by thousands of businesses on the grounds that US laws offer similar protection to those in the 28-nation European Union.
But the top legal counsel to the court said last month the mass surveillance of data by the US revealed by
former US intelligence contractor and whistleblower Snowden means European citizens' privacy could no longer be guaranteed by the agreement.
The court usually follows the advice of its advocate-general when reaching its final decisions.

US-EU data deal at risk in Facebook case judgment

AFP, BRUSSELS: The EUs top court is set to rule Tuesday on a transatlantic data deal, relied on by companies such as Facebook, a judgement that could see it declared invalid given spying revelations in the Edward Snowden scandal. The landmark case before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg stems from a complaint against social media giant Facebook lodged against Irish authorities by Austrian law student Max Schrems. The complaint focuses on the Safe Harbour deal signed in 2000 between Brussels and Washington that allows data transfers by thousands of businesses on the grounds that US laws offer similar protection to those in the 28-nation European Union. But the top legal counsel to the court said last month the mass surveillance of data by the US revealed by former US intelligence contractor and whistleblower Snowden means European citizens privacy could no longer be guaranteed by the agreement. The court usually follows the advice of its advocate-general when reaching its final decisions.