While the United States and the European Union share the goal of enhancing privacy protection for their citizens, the United States takes a different approach to privacy from that taken by the European Community. The United States uses a sectoral approach that relies on a mix of legislation, regulation, and self regulation.
Personal data is data about an identified or identifiable individual that is recorded in any form.
To diminish this uncertainty and provide a more predictable framework for such data transfers, the Department of Commerce is issuing these principles under its statutory authority to foster, promote, and develop international commerce. The principles were developed in consultation with industry and the general public to facilitate trade and commerce between the United States and European Union. Because these principles were solely designed to serve this specific purpose, their adoption for other purposes may be inappropriate. Organizations may qualify for the safe harbor in different ways. If an organization joins a private sector developed privacy program that adheres to these principles, it qualifies for the safe harbor.