Joint press statement by Michael McGrath and Waldemar Gonçalves Ortunho Júnior, Director-President of the Agência Nacional de Proteção de Dados

Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, and President Waldemar Gonçalves Ortunho Júnior of the Agência Nacional de Proteção de Dados, welcomed today the adoption of their respective mutual adequacy decisions which recognise each other’s data protection systems as equivalent.

The mutual adequacy decisions establish a comprehensive area of free and safe personal data flows between the two jurisdictions. They will benefit joint research and regulatory cooperation between the two partners.

The mutual adequacy decisions cover both the private and public sector, which represents the largest possible scope under the relevant legislation. European and Brazilian citizens will benefit from strong protections when their personal data is transferred between the two jurisdictions, while their companies and public authorities can rely on the adequacy decisions for the free flow of personal data. 

This is the result of the EU and Brazil’s shared commitment to upholding human rights and fundamental values, including the right to the protection of personal data, and further underlines their close partnership. The arrangement will also be the basis for working even closer together in shaping the global debate on the protection of personal data and artificial intelligence (AI) and will play an important role in the spreading of digital trust worldwide.