Brexit is Coming

On the 31st January 2020 the United Kingdom left the European Union and began an 11 month transition period ending on the 31st December 2020. During that period, the EU and UK are expected to negotiate the “Future Relationship”. Part of that new future will be significant changes to the rules governing how personal data moves between the UK and the EU.

In the absence of either an extension to the transition period (which would have needed to be agreed to by June 2020) or a negotiated trading arrangement that addresses the thorny issue of cross-border data transfers, the UK will become a Third Country and the restrictions on data transfers from the EU will apply to processing in the UK. Equally, the Brexit related amendments to the UK Data Protection Act 2018 potentially impose reciprocal restrictions on transfers from the UK to the EU.

Castlebridge has been working with clients since 2017 to assess and prepare for the impact of Brexit on personal data flows. Based on that experience we have developed a range of services and supports for organisations on either side of the divide to help them manage and mitigate the impacts of Brexit, deal or no deal.