Data Privacy and Protection
Five Myths Regarding Privacy and Law Enforcement
The transatlantic privacy discussion is too often based on myths about the U.S. legal system—myths that obscure our fundamental commitment to privacy. This document (PDF 125kb) dispels these myths and discusses certain aspects of U.S. laws that are often mischaracterized abroad.
- Data Privacy Day: How Safe is Your Personal Information? (2013-01-28)
- New rule protects patient privacy, secures health information (2013-01-17)
- Remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the EU, William E. Kennard, at Forum Europe’s 3rd Annual European Data Protection and Privacy Conference (2012-12-04)
- Remarks of United States Department of Commerce's General Counsel Cameron F. Kerry to the European Parliament, Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on The Reform of the EU Data Protection Framework: Building Trust in a Digital and Global World. Session VII: Data Protection in the global context - The transatlantic dimension (PDF 86k) (2012-10-10)
- Comments by Deputy Assistant Attorney General, and the Department of Justice’s Counselor for International Affairs, Bruce C. Swartz, before the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs after the Hearing on the Reform of the EU Data Protection Framework: Building Trust in a Digital Global World. Session VII: Data Protection in the global context - The transatlantic dimension (PDF 240k) (2012-10-10)
- Press conference at the U.S. Mission to the EU on Brussels with Bruce C. Swartz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, and the Department of Justice’s Counselor for International Affairs, Cameron F. Kerry, Department of Commerce’s General Counsel and David C. Vladeck, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection (2012-10-10)
- Obama Administration Unveils Blueprint for a “Privacy Bill of Rights” to Protect Consumers Online (2012-02-23) Read the Press Release | Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights | Fact Sheet
U.S.-EU Highlights
U.S. Ambassador to the EU William E. Kennard. Photo: State Dept.
European Parliament’s endorsement of the U.S.-EU PNR Agreement
"The United States applauds the European Parliament’s endorsement of the U.S.-EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) Agreement. Today’s vote reaffirms the shared commitment of the United States and the European Union to the security of the traveling public. This PNR Agreement will also provide legal certainty for airlines and assure travelers that their privacy will be respected." said U.S. Ambassador to the EU William E. Kennard in a statement released on April 19 following the European Parliament’s vote today on the U.S.-EU Passenger Name Record agreement. "The European Parliament’s endorsement of the PNR agreement is a testament to the strong transatlantic relationship and our joint commitment to protecting our citizens." Read the full statement - see the video | Statement By Secretary Napolitano On The European Parliament's Vote On The Passenger Name Record (PNR) Agreement (2012-04-19)
- Joint Statement on the Negotiation of a EU-U.S. Data Privacy and Protection Agreement by Attorney General Eric Holder and European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding (2012-06-21)
- Statement by U.S. Ambassador to the EU William E. Kennard following the European Parliament’s vote on the U.S.-EU Passenger Name Record agreement (2012-04-19) | Statement By Secretary Napolitano On The European Parliament's Vote On The Passenger Name Record (PNR) Agreement (2012-04-19)
- Remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the EU, William E. Kennard, at the 2012 European Cloud Computing Conference "Living with Our Heads in the Cloud" (2012-03-21)
- U.S.-EU Joint Statement on Privacy from EU Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding and U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson (2012-03-19)
- DHS Deputy Secretary Lute Statement on Signing Of New U.S.-EU PNR Agreement (2011-12-14) | Statement by Deputy Secretary Lute on Initialing of US-EU PNR Agreement (2011-11-17) | Conference in Brussels with Ambassador Kennard and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Malmstrom: "Beyond terrorism and privacy: What transatlantic agenda for global security?", co-organized by the EU Institute for Security Studies and the U.S. Mission to the EU (2011-09-16) | More excerpt | Photo album: Conference on PNR with three senior officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: How Data Sharing is Essential to Combat Terrorism, Serious Crime (2011-05-17) | Videos excerpts available
- DHS Deputy Secretary Lute on Signing Of New U.S.-EU PNR Agreement (2011-12-14)
- U.S. Department of Commerce General Counsel Cameron Kerry CFK Keynote Address At the Second Annual European Data Protection and Privacy Conference On Transatlantic Solutions for Data Privacy (2011-12-06)
- Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks to the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (2011-09-20) | Video available