Businesses urged to check EU data arrangements

The ICO has advised organisations to continue complying with the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and to review where the personal data they use comes from.

A post-Brexit agreement on trade is expected to be announced today (Thursday 24th December), but details are not yet available.

The EU is yet to make a decision as to whether it accepts that the UK’s data protection regime is still adequate.

The ICO has asked businesses to visit its website to view guidance and resources.

Elizabeth Denham, information commissioner, said: “We appreciate there is a lot of pressure on SMEs right now, especially given the impact of the pandemic. However, sharing personal data is essential to the running of many businesses and it is vital you take action to ensure that data can continue to flow.”

“The ICO appreciates data protection can seem daunting to SMEs, which is why we have created a specific suite of products to help small businesses prepare. I encourage people to visit the ICO’s website to understand what steps they need to take and to keep up-to-date.”