Minsters slam the EU for ‘mucking us around’ after warning Britain could lose access to data under No Deal Brexit
Brussels claimed it could take six months to a year to re-certify Britain as GDPR compliant - despite being one of the first member states to adopt the rules
MINISTERS face a fresh Brexit crisis as the EU warns the UK may not be able to access data stored in the Continent in a No Deal.
Furious Ministers have slammed Brussels for “mucking us around” after saying it could take six months to a year to re-certify Britain as GDPR compliant if we leave without a deal.
Insiders claim it could cause chaos for companies and individuals who may lose access to personal data stored in Europe – or on “clouds” registered in the EU.
Whitehall officials have spent weeks trying to work out where Government departments and agencies store personal data.
One Minister told The Sun: “It’s crazy and a perfect example of how the EU is mucking us around. We were one of the first member states to adopt GDPR.
“They’re telling us we’ll have to wait until we’re a third country to be re-certified and that the process could take six months.”
The GDPR rules – General Data Protection Recognition – came into force last year to set out new rules on how businesses, organisations and governments can collect and handle data.
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It is designed to give consumers more power over their data by forcing companies to ask them for permission to contact them – and updating privacy policies.
A spokesman for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. This has not changed.
“But as part of our accelerated no deal preparations, we are monitoring public sector readiness and supporting departments and devolved administrations to help mitigate any potential risk of disruption to personal data flows.”
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