Subj : European Commission facing rebuke for using Microsoft 365
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Tue Mar 12 2024 10:00:05

European Commission facing rebuke for using Microsoft 365

Date:
Tue, 12 Mar 2024 09:55:41 +0000

Description:
Insufficient safeguards for sharing personal data outside of the EU and EEA 
have landed Microsoft in trouble.

FULL STORY
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The European Commission is under intense scrutiny as the European Data 
Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has issued a stern rebuke for severe data 
protection infringements, all of which are directly linked to the Commissions 
use of Microsoft 365. 

The investigation, initiated in May 2021, has unearthed alarming concerns 
about the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA, a finding that 
has serious implications for data protection. 

According to the EDPS report , several breaches had been made, emphasizing 
the Commissions failure to implement adequate safeguards for personal data 
transfers beyond the protection of the EU and EEA. European Commission in 
trouble for its use of Microsoft 365 

Wojciech Wiewirowski, EDPS, underscored the gravity of the situation: It is 
the responsibility of the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies 
(EUIs) to ensure that any processing of personal data outside and inside the 
EU/EEA, including in the context of cloud-based services, is accompanied by 
robust data protection safeguards and measures. 

As part of the corrective measures, the European Commission has been directed 
to suspend all data flows through Microsoft 365 to Microsoft and its 
affiliates outside of the EU and EEA not covered by an adequacy decision. 

The EC has also been given until December 9, 2024 to make its processing 
operations compliant, with the EDPS claiming that its reaction has been 
appropriate, necessary and proportionate. 

Microsoft stressed that its products are GDPR-compliant and that European 
customers can continue to use tools like Microsoft 365, however the severity 
of the infringements and the following reactions serve as an important 
reminder of the importance to adhere to EU Data Protection Regulations. 

More broadly, Microsoft is a name thats on the tip of European workers 
tongues for other reasons, including the ongoing antitrust case relating to 
its dominance in the cloud business, which is allegedly a result of its 
unfair business practices. More from TechRadar Pro Check out our roundup of 
the best cloud hosting providers These are the best cloud storage and best 
cloud backup tools Microsoft lets cloud users keep personal data within 
Europe to ease privacy fears



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/european-commission-facing-rebuke-for-using-micr
osoft-365


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