Foreign Regulators Press FTC To Increase EU Safe Harbor Violation Charges

Under pressure from European regulators, the FCC is likely to continue increasing enforcement actions under the European Union’s Privacy Directive Safe Harbor framework violations. More than 3,000 U.S. companies have enrolled in the safe harbor program, agreeing to adhere to additional security measures to protect the privacy of European citizens’ data, with the FTC assigned to enforce violations. However, the EU Data Protection Authority and the Center for Digital Democracy have vocally criticized the FTC for what they deem weak enforcement. In response, the FTC has ramped up efforts to more actively enforce safe harbor violations, and Jackson Lewis attorney Nick M. Beermann says such cases are likely to increase.