The conference opened with a keynote from Commissioner Michael McGrath, who set an optimistic tone: growth and protection can and must coexist. He outlined the European Commission's commitment to simplifying GDPR provisions through the proposed Digital Omnibus, ensuring rules are proportionate and workable for organisations of all sizes. On international transfers, he pointed to the Brazil adequacy decision as a significant milestone and confirmed that new SCCs are being prepared for emerging transfer scenarios. The overarching message was one of modernisation without compromise, rules that are simpler, clearer, and fit for a competitive and thriving digital future.
SCOPE Europe's Managing Director Gabriela Mercuri took part in the panel "Data Privacy Globally: Building Bridges in a Fragmented Regulatory Landscape," moderated by Natascha Gerlach CIPP/E (Centre for Information Policy Leadership), alongside Louisa Klingvall (European Commission), Yoon Jeong Choi (Personal Information Protection Commission, Republic of Korea), Eduardo Gomes Salgado (Brazilian National Data Protection Agency), Maiko Meguro (OECD), and John Kavanagh (TikTok). The discussion explored how to strengthen data protection globally while enabling trusted, seamless international data transfers, with adequacy decisions, mutual recognition, and shared frameworks at the centre of the conversation.
Gabriela spoke about the untapped potential of codes of conduct and certifications as international transfer tools — mechanisms rooted in Articles 40 and 42 of the GDPR that were always intended as practical compliance bridges, capable of translating complex legal requirements into actionable, auditable, and industry-specific steps. She acknowledged that the approval and accreditation process is time and resource-intensive, requiring regulatory sign-off, independent monitoring bodies, and ongoing compliance commitments. Yet the results are well worth it — as demonstrated by the success of the EU Cloud Code of Conduct, which has shown that when these tools are properly developed and supported, they deliver real legal certainty, accountability, and trust in the market.
SCOPE Europe welcomes these discussions and remains eager to keep contributing to them — working alongside regulators, industry, and civil society to ensure that the frameworks we build are ones that genuinely protect data subjects' rights while supporting a thriving and trusted digital economy.
