Texts to 22 Oct 2026

Amendment 1308· GDPR Article 45

Alternative

Tabled by
Axel Voss (EPP)
Committee and document
ITRE–LIBE·amendments 1261–1564 to the draft report (CJ72-AM-791873, PE791.873v01-00)·27 July 2026
Source
Official text, pp. 34–38·printed header: Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 10 e (new) / Regulation (EU) 2016/679 / Article 45
Targets
Article 45 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Text of the amendment

As tabled

Amending instructionagainst the Commission’s

10e. Article 45 replaced by the following:

Wordingagainst the Commission’s

"Article 45 Transfers on the basis of an adequacy decision 1. A transfer of personal data to a third country or an international organisation may take place where the Commission has decided that the third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within that third country, or the international organisation in question ensures an adequate levelstandard of protection which is not materially lower than the standard provided by this Regulation. Such a transfer shall not require any specific authorisation. 2. Such a transfer shall not require any specific authorisation. When assessing the adequacy of the levelstandard of protection, the Commission shall, in particular, take account of the following elements: (a) the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, relevant legislation, both general and sectoral, including concerning public security, defence, national security and criminal law and the access of public authorities to personal data, as well as the implementation of such legislation, data protection rules, professional rules and security measures, including rules for the onward transfer of personal data to another third country or international organisation which are complied with in that country or international organisation, case-law, as well as effective and enforceable data subject rights and effective administrative and judicial redress for the data subjects whose personal data are being transferred; (b) the existence and effective functioning of one or more independent supervisory authorities in the third country or to which an international organisation is subject, with responsibility for ensuring and enforcing compliance with the data protection rules, including adequate enforcement powers, for assisting and advising the data subjects in exercising their rights and for cooperation with the supervisory authorities of the Member States; and (c) the international commitments the third country or international organisation concerned has entered into, or other obligations arising from legally binding conventions or instruments as well as from its participation in multilateral or regional systems, in particular in relation to the protection of personal data. 3. The Commission, after assessing the adequacy of the levelstandard of protection, may decide, by means of implementing act, that a third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within a third country, or an international organisation ensures an adequateapproved levelstandard of protection within the meaning of paragraph 1 and 2 of this Article. The implementing act shall provide for a mechanism for a periodic review, at least every four years, which shall take into account all relevant developments in the third country or international organisation. The implementing act shall specify its territorial and sectoral application and, where applicable, identify the supervisory authority or authorities referred to in point (b) of paragraph 2 of this Article. 4TheThe implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 93(2). 4. The Commission shall, on an ongoing basis, monitor developments in third countries and international organisations that could affect the functioning of decisions adopted pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article and decisions adopted on the basis of Article 25(6) of Directive 95/46/EC. 5. The Commission shall, where available information reveals, in particular following the review referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, that a third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within a third country, or an international organisation no longer ensures an adequatesufficient level of protection within the meaning of paragraph 1 and 2 of this Article, to the extent necessary, repeal, amend or suspend the decision referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article by means of implementing acts without retro-active effect. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 93(2). On duly justified imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission shall adopt immediately applicable implementing acts in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 93(3). 6. The Commission shall enter into consultations with the third country or international organisation with a view to remedying the situation giving rise to the decision made pursuant to paragraph 5. 7. A decision pursuant to paragraph 5 of this Article is without prejudice to transfers of personal data to the third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within that third country, or the international organisation in question pursuant to Articles 46 to 49. 8. The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union and on its website a list of the third countries, territories and specified sectors within a third country and international organisations for which it has decided that anthe adequateapproved level of protection is or is no longer ensured. 9. Decisions adopted by the Commission on the basis of Article 25(6) of Directive 95/46/EC shall remain in force until amended, replaced or repealed by a Commission Decision adopted in accordance with paragraph 3 or 5 of this Article."

Struck CommissionHighlighted amendment

GDPR Article 45 with this amendment

Amendment 1308 applied to the Commission proposal, no other amendment

1.

A transfer of personal data to a third country or an international organisation may take place where the Commission has decided that the third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within that third country, or the international organisation in question ensures an adequate levelstandard of protection which is not materially lower than the standard provided by this Regulation. Such a transfer shall not require any specific authorisation.

Amended
2.

Such a transfer shall not require any specific authorisation. When assessing the adequacy of the levelstandard of protection, the Commission shall, in particular, take account of the following elements:

Amended
Unchanged: (a)
(a)

the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, relevant legislation, both general and sectoral, including concerning public security, defence, national security and criminal law and the access of public authorities to personal data, as well as the implementation of such legislation, data protection rules, professional rules and security measures, including rules for the onward transfer of personal data to another third country or international organisation which are complied with in that country or international organisation, case-law, as well as effective and enforceable data subject rights and effective administrative and judicial redress for the data subjects whose personal data are being transferred;

(b)

the existence and effective functioning of one or more independent supervisory authorities in the third country or to which an international organisation is subject, with responsibility for ensuring and enforcing compliance with the data protection rules, including adequate enforcement powers, for assisting and advising the data subjects in exercising their rights and for cooperation with the supervisory authorities of the Member States; and (c) the international commitments the third country or international organisation concerned has entered into, or other obligations arising from legally binding conventions or instruments as well as from its participation in multilateral or regional systems, in particular in relation to the protection of personal data.

Amended
(c)

the international commitments the third country or international organisation concerned has entered into, or other obligations arising from legally binding conventions or instruments as well as from its participation in multilateral or regional systems, in particular in relation to the protection of personal data.

Deleted
3.

The Commission, after assessing the adequacy of the levelstandard of protection, may decide, by means of implementing act, that a third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within a third country, or an international organisation ensures an adequateapproved levelstandard of protection within the meaning of paragraph 1 and 2 of this Article. The implementing act shall provide for a mechanism for a periodic review, at least every four years, which shall take into account all relevant developments in the third country or international organisation. The implementing act shall specify its territorial and sectoral application and, where applicable, identify the supervisory authority or authorities referred to in point (b) of paragraph 2 of this Article. The implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 93(2).

Amended
Unchanged: (4)
4.

The Commission shall, on an ongoing basis, monitor developments in third countries and international organisations that could affect the functioning of decisions adopted pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article and decisions adopted on the basis of Article 25(6) of Directive 95/46/EC.

5.

The Commission shall, where available information reveals, in particular following the review referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, that a third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within a third country, or an international organisation no longer ensures an adequatesufficient level of protection within the meaning of paragraph 1 and 2 of this Article, to the extent necessary, repeal, amend or suspend the decision referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article by means of implementing acts without retro-active effect. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 93(2).

Amended

On duly justified imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission shall adopt immediately applicable implementing acts in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 93(3).

Unchanged: (6) and (7)
6.

The Commission shall enter into consultations with the third country or international organisation with a view to remedying the situation giving rise to the decision made pursuant to paragraph 5.

7.

A decision pursuant to paragraph 5 of this Article is without prejudice to transfers of personal data to the third country, a territory or one or more specified sectors within that third country, or the international organisation in question pursuant to Articles 46 to 49.

8.

The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union and on its website a list of the third countries, territories and specified sectors within a third country and international organisations for which it has decided that anthe adequateapproved level of protection is or is no longer ensured.

Amended
Unchanged: (9)
9.

Decisions adopted by the Commission on the basis of Article 25(6) of Directive 95/46/EC shall remain in force until amended, replaced or repealed by a Commission Decision adopted in accordance with paragraph 3 or 5 of this Article.

Struck removed Highlighted added Full text on the GDPR Article 45 page

Justification

The amendments support necessary cross-border data flows for EU companies in global value chains, cloud services and multinational groups. Transfer assessments must remain aligned with the Charter and CJEU case law, but should apply a risk-based and proportionate assessment of the safeguards actually used. Where groups apply binding internal rules, common security standards and effective remedies, a rebuttable presumption under Article 46 can reduce formalism without lowering protection or ignoring public-authority access risks.

Target

Wording of the targeted provisionlaw in force, Commission proposal, latest Council text

No Council text amends Article 45.

Cite this amendment

Amendment 1308 (Axel Voss), European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, amendments 1261–1564 to the draft report on COM(2025) 837 (CJ72-AM-791873, PE791.873v01-00, 27 July 2026), pp. 34–38

Link, short form and official text
Reference

Amendment 1308 (Axel Voss), European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, amendments 1261–1564 to the draft report on COM(2025) 837 (CJ72-AM-791873, PE791.873v01-00, 27 July 2026), pp. 34–38

Short form

ITRE–LIBE Amendment 1308 (CJ72-AM-791873), p. 34

Entry in the source list