Moving AWS Data in Europe Now Even Safer, Claims Amazon

By Ben Sullivan

A group of European Union data protection authorities, known as the Article 29 Working Party, has approved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Data Processing Agreement (DPA), assuring customers that it meets the high standards of EU data protection laws.

The approval of the AWS DPA means that AWS customers who want to transfer personal data from the European Economic Area (EEA) to other countries can do so with the knowledge that their content on AWS will be given the same level of protection it receives in the EEA.

Assurances

“The security, privacy, and protection of our customer’s data is our number one priority,” said Dr. Werner Vogels, Amazon CTO. “Providing customers a DPA that has been approved by the EU data protection authorities is another way in which we are giving them assurances that they will receive the highest levels of data protection from AWS.”

In the letter issued to AWS, the Article 29 Working Party said: “The EU Data Protection Authorities have analyzed the arrangement proposed by Amazon Web Services” and “have concluded that the revised Data Processing Addendum is in line with Standard Contractual Clause 2010/87/EU.”

“The EU has the highest data protection standards in the world and it is very important that European citizens’ data is protected,” said Antanas Guoga, a member of the European Parliament. “I believe that the Article 29 Working Party decision to approve the data proceeding agreement put forward by Amazon Web Services is a step forward to the right direction.”