WASHINGTON – The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), the global voice of the tech sector, released the following statement from President and CEO Dean Garfield today regarding the ongoing negotiations between the European Union and United States on a strengthened mechanism for transatlantic data transfers. Garfield and other ITI executives have recently returned from meetings in Europe with government officials last week to encourage United States and European Union (EU) negotiators to reach a new data sharing protocol after the Safe Harbor agreement was invalidated:

“Today’s economy is online and runs on data spanning vast networks. Given the very complex issues at hand, we understand that the negotiators are continuing their work and are taking some additional time to ensure that they conclude the strongest possible agreement,” Garfield said. “We encourage negotiators to take the time necessary to secure an agreement that both enhances privacy protections and provides the certainty needed to promote innovation and economic growth.”

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