Ross, EU Official Call for Prompt Privacy Shield Ombudsman Nomination

The White House should promptly nominate a permanent Privacy Shield ombudsperson, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said Friday. The functioning of the State Department ombudsperson, currently acting Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Manisha Singh, was discussed during last week’s review of the agreement. The European Commission will publish findings and recommendations on PS this year, they said. The pair cited the program’s significant growth, with nearly 4,000 companies signed on. Other efforts cited include the recent confirmation of Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board members (see personals section of the Oct. 15 issue), restoring the quorum. In light of recent privacy breaches, there's a need for “strong privacy enforcement to protect our citizens and ensure trust in the digital economy,” they said. Ross in a Financial Times opinion Wednesday defended the PS, saying it protects citizens and companies in both regions and allows cross-border data flows. The State Department ombudsperson has been available, but hasn’t received a single PS-related inquiry, he said. Facebook, a PS participant, will be removed if the FTC finds it failed to comply with program commitments, he said. “We agree that Privacy Shield works well and encourage further progress to strengthen it, such as the prompt nomination of a permanent U.S. Under Secretary and Ombudsperson,” said Computer & Communications Industry Association Senior Policy Manager Alexandre Roure.