Additional Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, regarding supervisory authorities and transborder data flows

Open for signature by the States Signatories to the Convention, in Strasbourg, on 8 November 2001.

Entry into force : 1 July 2004.

Summary of the treaty

The text will increase the protection of personal data and privacy by improving the original Convention of 1981 in two areas. Firstly, it provides for the setting up of national supervisory authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with laws or regulations adopted in pursuance of the convention, concerning personal data protection and transborder data flows. The second improvement concerns transborder data flows to third countries. Data may only be transferred if the recipient State or international organisation is able to afford an adequate level of protection.