UK ICO calls for feedback on international data transfers guidance

The UK’s data regulator has called for public feedback on its international data transfers guidance for businesses.

Formulated by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the guidance contains rules about transferring information to other countries, including International data transfer agreements (IDTAs) and Binding corporate rules (BCRs).

The call for feedback will be open until August 7th, 2025. The ICO warns, however, that the guidance may see changes due to the Data (Use and Access) Act coming into law on June 19th.

The ICO says it’s issuing the new guidance to make it easier for businesses to transfer data, boosting business confidence and improving the investment climate.

Aside from the document, the ICO has been working with the G7 and the Global Privacy Assembly towards an agreement on increasing mechanisms for trusted free flows of data. It has also been reviewing adequacy assessments for key trading partners with the help of the government.

Immigration bill’s biometric data transfer clauses see criticism

A UK parliament committee is calling on the government to amend an upcoming immigration bill, which would allow the government to transfer biometric data from people going through emergency evacuation to other nations or organizations.

“Clauses in the Bill that would allow the transfer of personal biometric data to other nations and international organizations remove vital data protections and should be scrapped,” the Joint Committee on Human Rights said in June.

Clauses 34-35 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill aim to grant new powers to authorities to collect biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial scans, from people going through evacuation or relocation. The new rule is designed to offer flexibility in an emergency. Unlike the current law, it allows biometric information to be captured without the individual applying for immigration to the UK.

“Clause 34 ensures that there is a clear legal framework for collecting biometric information outside the UK in these exceptional circumstances,” Minister of State Angela Eagle said in March.

The clauses were designed for cases in which the UK government assists the evacuation of British citizens and people who live in families that include British citizens, she adds.

The Human Rights Committee, however, argues that the clauses are not compatible with current UK laws, which demand appropriate safeguards to prevent misuse of the information.

“Transfers of such biometric data to third countries and international organisations are deemed to be necessary for the public interest,” says the Committee. “We are concerned that this automatic assumption does not adequately protect personal data.”

Article Topics

biometric data  |  biometric identifiers  |  biometrics  |  data protection  |  data sharing  |  Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)  |  legislation  |  UK