The European Commission’s Directive on Data Protection (the “Directive”)¹ was enacted in 1995 and went into effect in 1998. It would prohibit the transfer of personal data from European Union (“EU”) countries to non-European countries that do not meet the EU “adequacy” standard for privacy protection.

This white paper is intended for general information purposes only. It is not intended as legal advice. The reader is urged to consult a qualified advisor before making any decisions relating to the matters discussed in this white paper.

^{1 The EU’s Data Protection Directive is more formally known as Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data. It can be found in its entirety at the EU Data Protection Commissioner’s website at http://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/EU-Directive-95…}