The ICO retains its international outlook

PL&B attended an IAPP event in London at Dentons on 17 October with Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham, who made comments on several international issues.

The ICO wants to stay involved with the EU Art. 29 Data Protection Working Party (WP29). The exact relationship between the UK and the WP29 after Brexit is not clear but Denham has made efforts to reinforce existing strong relationships with the parties and ensure that the UK, as the EU’s largest Data Protection Authority, has continued to be the lead author on many of the WP29 guidance documents.

Encouraged by the government, the ICO will continue to have an international outlook with active participation in not only the WP29 but also the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), Common Thread, (Commonwealth countries data protection coordination body) and the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA).

PL&B asked whether the ICO is now able to offer a faster service on processing Binding Corporate Rules applications as some companies have been considering taking their applications to France or other countries. She said that the UK had processed 85% of all the approved BCRs and she has devoted more resources to this area. Her staff are now working on a template to make the BCR application quicker and easier.
Elizabeth Denham summarised her international perspective by declaring: “Right now, we are playing in all the fields we can.”

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