The agreement was signed by Dutch minister Ard van der Steur and Commissioner Jourová on behalf of the EU and by Attorney General Loretta Lynch on behalf of the US authorities. Minister Van der Steur said: "This agreement symbolises the values the United States and the European Union share. It will improve cooperation between US and European Law enforcement authorities when combatting serious crime and terrorism. It will advance the full respect for fundamental rights whenever personal data is being transferred between us."
The "Umbrella agreement" covers all personal data exchanged between police and criminal justice authorities of the EU member states and the US federal authorities for the purpose of prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences, including terrorism.
The agreement will facilitate criminal law enforcement cooperation while, at the same time, providing safeguards and guarantees of the legality of data transfers. Those include, for example, provisions on clear limitations on data use, the obligation to seek prior consent before any onward transfer of data, the obligation to define appropriate retention periods, the right to access and rectification, etc.