International Data Transfers and Stakeholders on the Ground

  • Panel
  • Maritime
  • Friday 23.05 — 14:15 - 15:30

Organising Institution

CPDP

Belgium

  • Academic 2
  • Business 2
  • Policy 2
The theme of international transfers of personal data outside the EU remains as debated as ever. Questions swirl, for example, as to the suitability of the current range of mechanisms in light of the realities of international data flows, which mechanisms can be legally be used in relation to different types of transfers, and as to the degree to which different mechanisms are, or can be made, future-proof in light of political instability and legal challenge, Much of the discussion on international transfers, however, focuses on legal technical, and structural, issues relating to international transfers – for example, how specific third country adequacy decisions might be evaluated in light of specific principles of EU law. This panel aims to take a different approach and to discuss the current international transfers landscape putting stakeholders on the ground - individuals and businesses at the forefront of discussion. In this regard, the panel will consider, amongst others, questions such as the following:

Questions to be answered

  1. To what degree do stakeholders on the ground - individuals and companies - really have a choice regarding whether personal data will be transferred outside the EU?
  2. What kinds of risks do stakeholders face as a result of the current, fragmented and uncertain, international transfers landscape?
  3. What options are available in mitigating these risks?
  4. To what degree do current legal approaches to international transfers serve the needs of stakeholders faced with choices regarding the transfer of personal data?

Moderator

Hielke Hijmans

Belgian Data Protection Authority - Belgium

Prof Dr Hielke Hijmans is President of the Litigation Chamber and Member Executive Board of the Belgian Data Protection Authority. On part time basis he is professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB, Institute European Studies), member of the Meijers Committee (ngo on EU fundamental rights) and lecturer at Luxembourg University. He is author of The European Union as Guardian of Internet Privacy: The Story of Art 16 TFEU (Springer 2016), based on his doctorate thesis. Before his appointment ,at the Belgian DPA, he worked: • as consultant on EU law and data protection, e.g. at the Centre for Information Policy Leadership (a think based in Washington, London and Brussels) and at Considerati (a consultancy based in Amsterdam) (2016-2019), • at the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), e.g. as head of unit Policy & Consultation policy unit (2004-2016), • at the Court of Justice of the European Union (Cabinet of Advocate General Geelhoed) (2000-2004) • and at the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment and Justice in The Hague, mostly dealing with legislation and EU law (until 2000) . He holds a law degree at Leiden University and a doctorate in law at the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universiteit Brussels.

Speaker

Finn Myrstad

Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue - International

Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad is the Director of Digital Policy at the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) and EU Chair of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue´s (TACD) Digital Committee (www.tacd.org/about), which gathers 75 organisations from both sides of the Atlantic, focusing on issues related to privacy, cyber security, artificial intelligence, deceptive design, competition, international trade, telecommunication and more.

Speaker

Jacques Mandrillon

Salesforce - France

Jacques Mandrillon is Senior Corporate Counsel at Salesforce, specializing in EMEA privacy and AI compliance. Certified CIPP/E and CIPM, he brings deep expertise from both the software industry and IT law firms. Jacques is a passionate advocate for responsible AI and has helped shape compliance strategies under the EU AI Act. He also lectures on IT agreements and digital law at Paris-Saclay University, mentoring the next generation of legal professionals.

Speaker

Estelle Masse

DG Just - Europe

Estelle Massé is a Policy Officer at the International Affairs and Data Flows Unit of the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission. Prior to joining the European Commission, Estelle was Global Data Protection Lead at the international organisation’s Access Now where her work focused on data protection, privacy, surveillance and telecoms policies.

Speaker

Teodora Lalova-Spinks

Ghent University - Belgium

Dr. Teodora Lalova-Spinks is a lawyer by training, specialized in health research and data protection and holding an interdisciplinary PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Laws (KU Leuven, 2023). As a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, she is part of the “Symphony of Us” project, an inter-university cooperation between UGent, AP Hogeschool Antwerpen and ULB, supported by the King Baudouin Foundation and aimed at better understanding and implementing the concept of “Patient Value” in oncology research. Her focus within the project relates to exploring and implementing patient value from a societal perspective, particularly with respect to health data (re)use, the applicable legal frameworks and in view of the implementation of the European Health Data Space Regulation. She is also a research fellow at KU Leuven, and has been a visiting researcher at Stanford University.