The European Fee’s use of Microsoft software program breached EU privateness guidelines and the bloc’s govt additionally didn’t implement sufficient safeguards for private information transferred to non-EU nations, the EU privateness watchdog stated on Monday.

The European Information Safety Supervisor (EDPS) ordered the Fee to take measures to adjust to privateness guidelines and to halt information switch to the U.S. firm and subsidiaries positioned in third nations which would not have privateness offers with the EU, setting a deadline of Dec. 9 for each orders.

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The EDPS’s choice adopted a three-year probe triggered by worries concerning the switch of private information to the USA following revelations in 2013 by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden of mass U.S. surveillance.

“The Fee has failed to offer applicable safeguards to make sure that private information transferred outdoors the EU/EEA are afforded an primarily equal degree of safety as assured within the EU/EEA,” the watchdog stated in an announcement.

The EEA, or European Financial Space, is made up of the 27 EU nations and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

“In its contract with Microsoft, the Fee didn’t sufficiently specify what forms of private information are to be collected and for which specific and specified functions when utilizing Microsoft 365,” the EDPS stated.

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Microsoft 365 is the product suite that features Phrase paperwork, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint shows and Outlook emails. The information safety authority ordered the Fee to droop all information flows ensuing from its use of Microsoft 365 to the corporate and its associates and sub-processors positioned in nations outdoors Europe that aren’t lined by an adequacy choice.

The EU has information adequacy agreements with 16 nations, together with Argentina, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Britain and the USA.

The Fee didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Microsoft stated it will assessment the EDPS’ choice and work with the EU govt to deal with the considerations.

“Considerations raised by the European Information Safety Supervisor relate largely to stricter transparency necessities below the EUDPR, a legislation that applies solely to the European Union establishments,” a spokesperson stated.

The EU govt was additionally informed to take measures to make sure that its use of Microsoft 365 complies with privateness guidelines.

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